Young activists who were behind the school climate strike have endorsed independent candidate Zali Steggall in a new EMILY’s List-style initiative to elect politicians committed to strong action on climate change.

Ms Steggall, who is running in the federal election against former prime minister Tony Abbott in Warringah, is the first political candidate in NSW to be named as a “Climate Leader”.

Independent candidate for Warringah, Zali Steggall, with young climate activists (L-R) Vivienne Paduch (15), Alexia Giannesini (16) and Manjot Kaur (17) at Freshwater Beach. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

In a video interview with two teenagers from the northern beaches electorate, Ms Steggall calls for an “orderly retirement of coal” and says she does not support opening new mines including the controversial Adani project.

The Climate Leaders initiative grew out of the school climate strike, which started in Australia last November and is running again on March 15.