Photos show huge protests around the world, where hundreds of thousands are striking to demand action on climate change

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Photos show huge protests around the world, where hundreds of thousands are striking to demand action on climate change

climate strikes

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  • Millions of people are expected to walk out of school and work on Friday, kicking off a week of protests calling for action to combat climate change.
  • The so-called global climate strike is part of a movement led by 16-year-old activist Greta Thunberg that has already seen a year of children leaving school to protest. Friday's protests invite adults to join.
  • Hundreds of thousands of people have taken part in Australia, Thailand, Bangladesh, and are due to continue around the world.
  • Visit Business Insider's home page for more stories.

Millions of people around the world are expected to walk out of school and work on Friday, as part of the global climate strike inspired by 16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg.

It is the first of several planned events ahead of and during the United Nations Climate Action Summit next week.

The strikes started in Australia on Friday morning, where School Strike 4 Climate, the organizers of the event, say over 300,000 people took part across the country. They are spreading across the planet over the course of today.

"This is basically the only way to have our voice heard," Nishtha Sharma, 17, of Melbourne, Australia told Business Insider.

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Here's a look at some of the protests:

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Organizers say over 300,000 people took part in the protests across Australia. Here, protesters march in Melbourne.

Organizers say over 300,000 people took part in the protests across Australia. Here, protesters march in Melbourne.

This photograph shows a huge crowd in a Sydney park.

This photograph shows a huge crowd in a Sydney park.

It was tweeted by Kym Chapple, a politician for Australia's Greens Party.

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The protests are led by school students, who started the movement this year by skipping school on Fridays to call for government action on climate change.

The protests are led by school students, who started the movement this year by skipping school on Fridays to call for government action on climate change.

The students reject the common criticism that they should be in school.

Danielle Porepilliasana, a high school student in Sydney, said: "World leaders from everywhere are telling us that students need to be at school doing work. I'd like to see them at their parliaments doing their jobs for once."

Source: Reuters

Some protesters joked about how they were skipping school for the day.

Some protesters joked about how they were skipping school for the day.

The top 10 carbon emitters in the country also took questions from schoolchildren on Friday.

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People of all ages ⁠— including babies, toddlers, teens, and adults — gathered across the country.

People of all ages ⁠— including babies, toddlers, teens, and adults — gathered across the country.

"I'm worried about the animals," 9-year-old Maeve, from Melbourne, told Business Insider.

"I'm worried about the ice melting which isn't very good."

The protests are now spreading across the planet.

The protests are now spreading across the planet.
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In Thailand, people protested in front of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in Bangkok.

In Thailand, people protested in front of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in Bangkok.

They staged a "die-in," an attempt to symbolize the consequences of climate change. They also delivered a letter to the government calling on it to declare a climate emergency and phase out coal.

They staged a "die-in," an attempt to symbolize the consequences of climate change. They also delivered a letter to the government calling on it to declare a climate emergency and phase out coal.
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Students gathered on Marovo Island in the Solomon Islands — an island chain close to Papua New Guinea.

Students gathered on Marovo Island in the Solomon Islands — an island chain close to Papua New Guinea.

The Solomon Islands, located in the Pacific, are already experiencing the effects of rising sea levels, flooding, and erosion. Communities have had to relocate on these low-lying islands, and several reef islands have been lost to the sea.

Source: The Conversation

And students gathered in low-lying Bangladesh, calling for political leadership.

And students gathered in low-lying Bangladesh, calling for political leadership.
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Adults also took part in the protest. Here, people in Dhaka, Bangladesh, demand action.

Adults also took part in the protest. Here, people in Dhaka, Bangladesh, demand action.

There was also a protest in Hong Kong.

There was also a protest in Hong Kong.
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The protests are now spreading into Europe as the school and work day begins. Here, demonstrators block traffic in Frankfurt, Germany.

The protests are now spreading into Europe as the school and work day begins. Here, demonstrators block traffic in Frankfurt, Germany.

400 protests have been announced across Germany along.

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