Antigua and Barbuda will be the first registered participant in the “Global Climate Strike” from the Caribbean which is taking place today.
The local effort will be supported by Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) – barbudanGO and the Be Foundation – organisations formed after the devastating impact of Hurricane Irma on Barbuda in 2017.
In fact, the two Barbuda-based organisations are joining forces to support the youth of Antigua and Barbuda from 10 schools in the global environmental campaign.
The students from across the nation will participate in the “Global Climate Strike” which the NGOs believe will “provide a prime opportunity to underscore the connection between the actions of large, developing countries, and the new realities faced by small states like Antigua and Barbuda.”
Director of barbudanGO, Brandon Walker, shared some details on the initiative with OBSERVER media.
“The barbudanGo organisation and the BE Foundation, which are two locally-formed NGOs are joining forces [today] September 20th to have one of the first Climate Change strikes across the nation of Antigua and Barbuda. This will be an activity that will be happening in the schools, and students tomorrow are expected to be engaged in activities that will build awareness to climate change. It will educate them about the causes and the implications that it has on us as a whole in this region.
“And [today] I think is just important because they will be demonstrating to the world that they are aware and we need to start operating and doing things differently where the usage of fossil fuels is concerned, and shifting towards a cleaner use of energy. [Today] will be a day where the voices of the students of Antigua and Barbuda will be heard across the nation and around the world,” he said.
The initiative, started in August 2018 by a 16-year-old Swedish student and environmental activist, encourages students from around the world to call on their respective state leaders to honour commitments made in the 2015 Paris Agreement on Climate Change, stop the use of fossil fuels and start the transition to 100 per cent clean energy use.
The strike will take place across the Holy Trinity School and the Sir McChesney George Secondary School in Barbuda and Nellie N Gore Primary, Potters Primary, Golden Grove Primary, S.R. Olivia David Primary, Five Islands Primary, Mary E. Pigott Primary, Sea View Farm Primary and the Ottos Comprehensive School in Antigua from 12:00 noon – 1:00 p.m.