Dutch students strike for climate, government against

This 10 January 2019 video says about itself:

#WeCanSolveThis: Students Strike for the Climate

All across the world, young people are mobilizing to take their futures into their own hands.

Translated from Dutch NOS TV today:

It is very good if pupils are actively involved in the climate issue and that they are taking to the streets, says Minister Arie Slob of Education.

Dear Mr Slob: implicitly, you admit here that your four-party right-wing coalition government is not doing its job to stop global warming. Because, if the government would practice a really pro-climate policy, then the students and other concerned people would not need to demonstrate: they then would be able to quietly stay at school, at work, at home or wherever they are.

But, Mr Slob, the students march against your coalition government with its 1 seat majority in parliament. Because your government considers good relationships to Shell, Exxon and other climate damaging fossil fuel profiteers more important than stopping disastrous global warming.

People in the Netherlands protest against the ‘revolving door’ relationship between government and corporations like Shell.

Dutch pro-environment organisations have sued the government for not stopping global warming. A court of law has decided that the government is wrong. Yet, the government continues with its pro-fossil fuel policies.

Of the four parties in your government, Your Excellency Slob, the two most-right-wing ones, CDA and VVD are sabotaging policies to save Planet Earth from global warming. Your party, Mr Slob, the Christian Union, and D66, though not as anti-climate as the two others, have given in to CDA and VVD to be in government.

But he [Slob] does want them to do that [marching] in the weekend, not on a school day. “Education is education and we will not tolerate truancy.”

Though Minister Slob sounded in the beginning more sympathetic than the Australian right-wing government attacking students for striking against global warming, then later he started sounding more like right-wing Australian politicians.

Mr Slob, if the students have permission from their parents and school management, they can go on strike legally. Many parents and school executives are granting permission.

"Je leert op school meer dan op het malieveld" aldus @WiebesEric

Beste Minister,
Wij volgen onderwijs én gaan naar het malieveld.
Een betere inzet voor het klimaat lijkt mij niet mogelijk.#Klimaatmars #malieveld @YouthForClimate #YouthForClimate #youthforclimatenl #DenHaag

— Jochem Tollenaar (@JochemTollenaar) February 5, 2019

The minister responds to the plan of a group of students to go on strike next Thursday with a mission: the organization hopes to get around 3000 pupils to the Malieveld in The Hague on 7 February [at 10:30] to take action for a stronger climate policy. …

Slob emphasizes that involving younger generations in the climate problem is very useful. “We really need them for that.” However, he hopes for a story with two sides. “Not only: you [the government] have to do this, but: we [the students] can do this, what is our contribution and what can we change in our behavior to ensure a better environment?”

Dear Minister Slob: students are already doing that. 10-year-old pro-climate ‘truant’ Lilly Platt has been removing plastic waste for years. Indeed, very many individual citizens can do more for the environment than they do now. As another example of what students can do, eg: I think there should be a protest at each and every school where Shell oil corporation have their lying pro-fossil fuel propaganda talks. That may be an example which Mr Slob did not have in mind as, as according to him, a good idea of students contributing to solutions; but it is a good idea according to me.

Dear Minister Slob: big corporations like Shell, Exxon and Tata Steel are much bigger problems for the environment than some high school student throwing away a plastic bag (which should not happen, but pales in comparison to Shell pollution in just one country, Nigeria.)

And, Your Excellency Slob, your coalition government wants the citizenry, including many not well-off people, to pay for climate measures, instead of corporations like Shell. That is not fair.

Truancy for the climate

The organization of the protest of next Thursday is in the hands of a group of students from the Dalton School in The Hague. The school sent all parents of the students a letter in which they could give permission to their children to demonstrate. They now have 6000 followers on Instagram.

With the demonstration, they follow in the footsteps of Belgian high school students, who have once again taken to the streets today with thousands to protest against the climate policy of the [Belgian] government. It is the fourth Thursday in a row that pupils take to the streets to ask for attention. …

3400 Belgian scientists have today declared their support for the Belgian students and other climate protesters who have been on the streets in recent weeks. The scientists call on the Belgian government in an open letter to show more ambition in the fight against climate change. Among the signatories are the rectors of the five universities in Flanders.

This 31 January 2019, today, video shows part of the fourth march by striking pro-climate students in Brussels, Belgium.

This photo shows another part of that demonstration, including initiator Anuna De Wever. On the same day in Belgium, 15,000 pro-climate striking students marched in Liège. There were also marches in other Belgian cities.

CLIMATE CHANGE IS HERE Temperatures in 2019 have already smashed records around the world, with the U.S. freeze matched by triple-digit high temperatures in Australia. [HuffPost]