The School Strike 4 Climate movement has been a global phenomenon. It has intensified pressure on governments to tackle the climate crisis. School students around the country will return to the streets for their first strike action since 2019. Friends of the Earth are proud to share this message from School Strike 4 Climate ahead of their National Day of Action on Friday 21 May: 
I’m Anj, a 17 year old school striker and I’m urging you to join me at your local Climate Strike on our National Day of Action this Friday May 21.
The federal budget came out last week and as expected, our government funnelled a further $51bn of public money into coal, oil and gas projects, and our renewable industry, which we need to be investing in at this time, received no direct funding.
We don’t have time for this. We are in a climate crisis.
Just over the past few months we have seen many natural disasters in our own backyard, with the devastating floods in NSW and Brisbane and the horrific cyclone that hit West Australia shortly after.
This is not normal. This is not business as usual.
I’m terrified and that’s why I’ll be at my local strike this Friday.
I’ll be fighting for my right to a safe future and the right of workers to have a safe and just transition into a low carbon economy.
I’ll be fighting for the right of those on the frontlines all over the world - our First Nations people, people of colour, rural/regional residents - to live a life free from climate impacts.
Our government has the power to make this happen. Yet they continue to fund the dying fossil fuel industry, lining the pockets of multinational gas and coal companies while ignoring the ever urgent climate crisis.
We know that we don’t have long before we reach a tipping point from where there is no coming back. But people power can stop this, and that’s where you’re needed.
Climate strikes are going to take place all across Victoria. You can find your local strike here!
I really hope you join me.
In solidarity,
Anj