Euronews spoke to Dutch student Kim van Sparrentak, who is running in the European Parliament elections this year, about why students are skipping class for climate protests.
ADVERTISEMENTThousands of Dutch students skipped their classes on Thursday to join a demonstration in The Hague calling for greater action on climate change.
The march came amid weeks of protests over the issue by young people in neighbouring Belgium.
Kim van Sparrentak was among those at The Netherlands demonstration.
The 29-year-old student, who is running in the European Parliament elections this year, told Euronews’ The Cube why people like her had been inspired to protest.
"This is really the climate generation we are talking about here," she said.
"This generation is now on the streets to start protesting and to show that they want a different world, a better world and a future for themselves."
Van Sparrentak also dismissed any criticism of the students for skipping school.
"These people are actually striking for the climate because they have been listening to their science teachers very well,” she said.
“At this point in time where all the warnings are so dire and the science is clear that we have to act, it’s not the students who are on strike but actually the people in power and the big multinationals that are not taking action that are the ones that are really not doing what they’re supposed to do.”
The Dutch Environmental Assessment Agency said in a report last month that a court-set target of reducing emissions by 25% from 1990 levels by 2020 is “out of reach.”
A group of some 350 scientists and researchers published a letter in support of the march, saying it is “high time for tough measures to quickly and drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
Click on the player above to find out more from Euronews' Alex Morgan.