Millions participate in movement

They marched in Sydney, Australia, Karachi, Pakistan and Berlin and in Johannesburg, Dublin, New York City and ­Albany.

The Global Climate Strike 2019 swept over the world on Friday, Sept. 20, when millions of young people walked out of school and headed to the streets to demand an end to fossil fuels to try to save our planet. People, young and old, descended on the State Capitol in Albany to voice their urgent concerns about how climate change is ­affecting the planet.

“Climate change is a humanitarian crisis,” said Natalie Penna, a senior at Albany High School, “and by doing nothing we are contributing to harm our fellow people. Natural disasters, drought, crop failure and extreme temperatures are all devastating effects of climate change.

Sister Honora Kinney, CSJ, was also there to take part in the protest.

“It really is the most urgent cause,” said Sister Honora, who rallied on behalf of the Sisters of St. Joseph and the Poor People’s Campaign. “If we don’t get some­where with this, the whole thing is literally going to end.”

The climate strike movement started in 2015, but took off when Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg protested by sitting outside her school demanding Sweden curtain the use of fossil fuels. Thunberg recently sailed to New York City and told members of congress to “listen to the scientists” when it comes to fossil fuels and global warming.

In April, Thunberg met Pope Francis, who has praised the activism of young people worldwide. Pope Francis’ famed encyclical “Laudato Si” (On Care for our Common Home) in 2015 called on all people to take action to fight the catastrophic effects of global warming. This month, Pope Francis called on nations to “abandon our dependence on fossil fuels and move quickly and decisively, toward forms of clean energy.”

With CNS