The school strikes for the climate have energised the climate change fight. People of all ages should heed the call to join in on 20 September, says Alice Bell

Josie Ford

IT IS just over a year since Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg, frustrated by political inaction on climate change and following Sweden’s hottest summer in more than 250 years, skipped school and sat in front of the Swedish parliament with a handwritten “Skolstrejk för klimatet” (School strike for the climate) sign.

Before long, teenagers in other countries were following her lead, building momentum towards the global Fridays for Future school strike movement. They have brought a new energy, bluntness and charisma to the climate debate – and shown spectacular skill at embarrassing politicians.

On 20 September, they are asking …