Thousands of people across Ireland are set to make their voices heard in a Global Climate Strike today, 20 September.

Rallies and demonstrations will be held over 50 towns in 18 counties over the country as part of a landmark international initiative on the climate crisis.

This global campaign of strikes and actions was planned in the week to 27 September, to coincide with the emergency UN Climate Summit, which takes place in New York from next Monday, 23 September.

These student-led strikes follow on from a movement inspired by 15-year-old Swedish student Greta Thurnberg's solo strike in August 2018.

The Irish actions are being led by a network of climate activists including Fridays for Future Ireland, Schools Climate Action Network and SchoolStrikes4 Climate Ireland. The global call for adults to join today's action has been supported by over 50 organisations in Ireland including unions, grassroots groups, development organisations, environmental organisations and faith-based groups.

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Patricia King, general secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), which has called on the Government to establish a national Just Transition Task Force, said: "Young people are demanding that their governments recognise the urgency and severity of the climate crisis and take appropriate action. Congress and its affiliated unions salute them for the leadership they have shown on this issue, and we stand with them to send an unequivocal message that climate action is needed now. Congress has asked workers and their communities to join in the global week of action to coincide with the UN Climate Summit, and we will continue to work for a just and lasting global transition to environmental sustainability, built on social dialogue."

Dominic MacSorley, chief executive of Concern, which is a member of Stop Climate Chaos, added: "The student protests provide a crucial moment to demand urgent action on climate change and stand in solidarity with those whose are already being impacted by climate breakdown. The greatest injustice of climate change is that it is already severely impacting on the lives of some of the world's poorest and most vulnerable people, those who have contributed least to the problem, who are primarily dependent on agriculture for survival, and who have the least amount of resources to cope with devastation when it arrives. The young people taking to the streets here in Ireland and around the world are calling out the inaction and negligence that has led to this injustice. Their cause is urgent, their energy is inspiring. We stand with them."

(CM/JG)