With the coronavirus putting a halt to in-person gatherings, climate activists are having to get creative to keep up the momentum from last year’s hugely successful strikes. In Lambton Quay, Aotea Square, the Octagon and dozens of other hot zones across the country, 170,000 protestors packed together in intergenerational crowds to chant, hug and share … Read more
At a recent Aotearoa Climate Emergency meeting in Wellington, the topic under discussion was a Citizens’ Assembly to work towards cross-party agreement on climate action. Nadine Hura went along to ask what a citizen looks like and who gets to decide. I went to listen. I wasn’t planning to speak. I arrived late and sat … Read more
New book Protest Tautohetohe: Objects of Resistance, Persistence and Defiance explores our history of protest through objects symbolising the power and lasting legacy of activism in New Zealand. From Hone Heke cutting down the flagpole to the 1981 Springbok tour protests, New Zealand has always been a country of activists. Movements led by Māori, by … Read more
Alex Casey, Leonie Hayden, Michèle A’Court tackle the past month in women, with thanks to our friends at The Women’s Bookshop. It’s been a big month for young women using their voice. Greta Thunberg admonished leaders at the UN for not doing enough for the dying planet, which annoyed brave old media boys who think teens … Read more
The political status quo is unfit to confront the climate crisis. We need more of those who will take to the street for what they believe in, rather than sniffing out snide put-downs from air-conditioned television studios, writes New Zealand’s youngest parliamentarian. A large contingent of Pasifika South Auckland students led tens of thousands of … Read more
The groundswell of protesters across NZ on Friday is cause for optimism. But if results don’t follow, the calls for more direct action that confronts the status quo will grow, writes Peter McKenzie. Half an hour after the #SchoolStrike4Climate marchers began arriving at parliament, organisers got worried. Two young student coordinators, in pink high-vis vests, … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Shane Jones says the quiet bit out loud to forestry industry, massive marches take place against climate inaction, and pharmacists fear Chemist Warehouse wipeout. Cabinet minister and NZ First MP Shane Jones has allegedly been caught saying the quiet bit out loud again. The NZ Herald’s David Fisher … Read more
Over 170,000 people went on strike for the climate crisis across New Zealand yesterday. Photographer Sylvie Whinray was in Aotea Square, Auckland, along with 80,000 others.
Organisers estimate that 170,000 New Zealanders have joined the strike for the climate around the country. Here’s what went down. More than 40 #climatestrike events took place this afternoon around New Zealand, as part of a global movement calling for urgent action on the climate crisis. The core of the strike was school students, but … Read more
For three hours, we’re going quiet. Here’s why. Despite it being known, catalogued and largely undisputed for decades, a decent response to climate change felt like something we could reach by next year. We just had to get our head around the housing crisis, or the GFC, or the Iraq war, or big tech, or … Read more
Sophie Handford, the 18-year-old responsible for starting School Strike 4 Climate NZ, is running for council in the Paekākāriki-Raumati Ward. Alex Casey hasn’t done anything as impressive as that, but does look a bit like her. The Spinoff local election coverage is entirely funded by The Spinoff Members. For more about becoming a member and … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Greens push to lower voting age on climate strike day, latest IPCC report unpacked, and analysis of Fonterra’s tough annual results day. On a day when many 16 year olds will be out protesting against climate change inaction, the Greens have announced a push to … Read more
Tossing up whether to join the climate strikes on Friday? Don’t make the same mistake we did: this is not going to fix itself. I tried some months ago to convince my nine-year-old grandson that I was going to rely on him to save the world. His wide-eyed wonderment at the enormity of the task, … Read more
Covering Climate Now: Submit, protest, vote. These are the moments that must be seized, writes Sam McGlennon The Spinoff’s participation is made possible thanks to Spinoff Members. Join us here! The waves are now running together. The next month of national, regional and local politics in New Zealand will go a long way to determining … Read more
Today marks the start of Covering Climate Now. To launch the week, the New Zealand climate change minister, James Shaw, writes an open letter to participants in the School Strike 4 Climate ahead of their day of action later this month. The Spinoff’s participation in Covering Climate Now is thanks to Spinoff Members. Join us … Read more
Zoe Mills is a 17 year old high school student and one of thousands who joined the global climate strikes. She explains why her generation feel this moment so acutely. It’s an eerie sight. A sea of bodies lay across the worn concrete of the Queen Street intersection. A faint murmuring grows in an impassioned roar: “Wake up! … Read more
On March 15, New Zealand school students led a global day of strike action on climate change. Grace Wilkie and Libby Morrison explained then why they were taking the day off school. They’re doing it again today, and this is why. Today students all around New Zealand will be striking for the climate again. As … Read more
Today it seems in some ways another age, but on Friday young people from around New Zealand and around the world rallied together to demand action on climate change. Sonya Nagels met some of the strikers in Auckland. Scarlett, 15 “This is our home, and without it, none of it – school, NCEA – none of it … Read more
A global day of action from young people is under way in New Zealand. We’ll be updating throughout the day here – send us your pics and observations for publication: info@thespinoff.co.nz. For everything you need to know about today’s planned events, go here. 2:50pm: The Spinoff has just been sent a photo taken during Nicola Willis’s … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Brexit No Deal threat looms for Kiwi exporters, students to go on climate strike today, and families of disabled people fear support cuts by stealth. New Zealand businesses are being told they need to prepare now for the possibility of an imminent no-deal Brexit. The UK is … Read more
Rebecca Macfie talks to the acclaimed, alarm-sounding David Wallace-Wells, author of the extraordinary new book The Uninhabitable Earth “It is worse, much worse, than you think.” With these words, New York journalist David Wallace-Wells proceeds to pound the reader of The Uninhabitable Earth with brutal truths about climate change. About how much more rapidly it … Read more
Climate change is here and now, and young people will bear the costs of continued inaction. But it matters less whether they skip a day of school than what they do when they go back, argues climate scientist Dave Frame The school students’ climate change strike has divided political and parental opinion. For some, it’s … Read more
As part of a day of #schoolstrike4climate, demonstrations by young people calling for action on climate change, thousands of New Zealand students are expected to skip classes tomorrow. What’s going on, and where? What and when? Rallies and marches are planned around the country, kicking off a day of action around the world. In Auckland, … Read more
Fellow kids, are you going on strike for climate change tomorrow? Here are some top tips from seasoned protesting pros. On Friday March 15, school kids around the world will be walking out of classrooms and taking to the streets to march against government inaction on climate change. For many of them, climate change is … Read more
This week, and pretty much all the time, young people are putting to shame the aged moaners among us, says Emily Writes I’m of the opinion that generally children are better than adults. This week has thoroughly cemented this view for me and it’s only Thursday morning. I don’t know what it is about becoming … Read more
We should be proud young people in New Zealand have the courage to demonstrate their commitment to addressing climate change, and welcome their passion, writes the children’s commissioner, Andrew Becroft The children and young people taking part in Friday’s climate strike are not adults-in-waiting whose views don’t yet count. They don’t need adult permission to … Read more
An Auckland secondary school teacher posted some thoughts on the climate strike. They were smart and pithy thoughts, so with permission, we’re republishing below. Here’s why you’re all wrong about the student “strike” about climate change that may or may not be happening. Firstly, they should all be encouraged to go on the protest. Secondly, … Read more
It may be a noble ambition, but this is a misguided, misdirected effort, and has the potential to block the path to a healthier planet, writes New Plymouth secondary school student James Macey On Friday, 15 March, school students around the globe will be going on “strike”. In New Zealand, the “School Strike 4 Climate” … Read more
As a generation, we will not be complicit in the death of the planet. This Friday’s climate strike is our way of showing that we can change the world, we can face down those who disregard and ignore us, and still come out on top, write Auckland secondary school students Grace Wilkie and Libby Morrison As … Read more