MEDIA RELEASE:

This generation will not wait - the youth climate movement responds to the Federal election announcement.

With Scott Morrison having just announced the date of the Federal election, the youth climate movement is mobilising to make sure action on climate change is the number one issue this election.

Thousands of volunteers from the Australian Youth Climate Coalition and School Strike 4 Climate are gearing up for five weeks of grassroots actions, youth enrolment, voter conversations and online pressure.

Gemma Borgo-Caratti, National Director of the AYCC said “For too long, the undue influence of the fossil fuel lobby has defined our political response to climate change. But now, young people have changed the game. This is the climate election.”

“Led by young people, Australians everywhere are demanding nothing less than ambitious climate action in line with the science. That means leaving fossil fuels in the ground and supercharging the switch to 100% renewable energy,” Gemma said.

School Strike 4 Climate organiser Aisheeya Huq, 16, from Western Sydney said “Climate change is the most important issue for young people. Our generation is terrified of the kind of world we’re going to inherit. If it’s this hot now, imagine how hot the world will be for us and our kids? Politicians backing coal are robbing us of a future. That’s why more and more school students are getting organised and fighting back. We can’t vote yet but we’ll asking any adult who cares about our future to vote for climate action.”

Together, young people everywhere are standing strong for action on climate change. Our demands of any political party serious about protecting our future are:

1. Stop Adani’s coal mine

2. 100% renewables by 2030

3. No more coal or gas projects

Having already supported hundreds of new voters to get on the electoral roll this year, AYCC will spend final days up to the enrolment cut-off having thousands more conversations and driving a social media storm to make sure that every young person has the opportunity to vote for their future.

Meanwhile, school strikers and AYCC volunteers across the continent are gearing up for a huge day of action on May 3, where thousands will take part in creative actions outside MP and candidate offices in almost every electorate.

“We are fired up to make sure that this election is determined by climate policy in every seat. You can’t have a legit climate policy if you don’t address coal. That starts with stopping Adani - which neither major party has committed to yet,” Gemma Borgo-Caratti said.

“We will be out in force in every electorate, at every press conference, and every community forum to demand these so-called leaders protect our future from climate damage.

“Politicians need to go back to school and learn how to treat each other, and their constituents with respect, understand science and then work together to solve this climate crisis,” concluded Ms Borgo-Caratti.

With the UK, Ireland and Iceland all just declaring a climate emergency and a global movement swelling around the demand (including Peter Garrett calling on the ALP to declare one if they win government), it’s worth taking a step back, checking our privilege and seeing that emergency powers being invoked rarely fairs well for people of colour or those on the margins of our society.