Students in New Brunswick to demand action on climate change in rally

Over 700 students in Fredericton are gearing up for another Friday for Future climate change march and rally in front of the New Brunswick legislature.

“This is our future, when we grow up this is the world that we are going to inherit and we’re not going to sit by and just let these people continue to take inaction and focus on economic growth,” said Daniel Nunes, a University of New Brunswick student.

Students will take time off school to demand political intervention on the climate crisis. The demands of Fridays for Future protesters are: the relinquishment of fossil energy sources and decrease of greenhouse gas emissions to zero. The peaceful protest is a movement that was inspired by Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg.

“Greta Thunberg is really a revolutionary in new age activism,” said Pascal Morimanno an École Sainte-Anne student.

Earlier this week Greta addressed world leaders at the United Nations Climate Action Summit with a four and a half minute speech that has reinvigorated young activists in New Brunswick.

“Inspiration, complete and utter inspiration. In a lot of ways Greta is almost the defining figure of the movement towards climate action,” said Nunes after listening to Greta Thunberg’s speech.

At the summit the United Nations released its Global Outlook Report. It states the impacts of climate change have been heating oceans, modifying their chemistry and threatening the seafood industry in the province.

Commercial fisheries are a vital part of the social and economic fabric of the province, mainly in rural coastline communities.

“Over half a billion dollar industry our fishing industry, think of all of the fish plants and the boats that we see. The economy of communities all around our 3 coasts depends on a vibrant healthy ocean,” said Lois Corbett, the executive director of Conservation Council of New Brunswick.

WATCH: Thunberg blasts world leaders at climate summit: “How dare you!”

The report also concludes that by 2060 extreme flood events that used to occur once every century will happen annually.

“Thinking just in Fredericton that the Saint John River could be 2 feet higher is really scary,” said Morimanno.

The student activists say they are putting the government on notice, and the protests will continue until changes are made to protect their future.