A man from this province at the United Nations Emergency Summit on Climate Change says people can do much more to effect change.

Graham Oliver of the Bay St. George Action Committee says hearing 16-year-old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg telling the Assembly that people are dying and ecosystems are collapsing should be the motivation.

“This is all wrong. I shouldn’t be up here. I should be back in school on the other side of the ocean. Yet you all come to us young people for hope. How dare you.

You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words. And yet I’m one of the lucky ones. People are suffering. People are dying. Entire ecosystems are collapsing. We are in the beginning of a mass extinction, and all you can talk about is money and fairy tales of eternal economic growth.”

– Greta Thunberg, in her address to the UN

A parade of world leaders told the United Nations yesterday morning they will do more to fight climate change, but most conceded it was not enough.

“Right here, right now is where we draw the line. The world is waking up. And change is coming, whether you like it or not.”
My full speech in United Nations General Assembly. #howdareyou https://t.co/eKZXDqTAcP

— Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) September 23, 2019

Oliver of Kippens says words like that should inspire us all. He says we have to try to keep it down below two degrees increase in temperature or the effects will be catastrophic.

He says his hometown is threatened by coastal erosion as are other communities in the area. Oliver says Kippens, Stephenville Crossing, Woody Point, Lark Harbour… all these places will suffer from coastal erosion.

MUN’s Senate Throws Support Behind Students Taking Part in Global Climate Strike

Memorial University’s highest academic governing body is offering its support for students planning to participate in this Friday’s Global Strike for Climate event.

The Senate is encouraging academic units and professors to grant academic amnesty on September 27 to all students so they may participate in the action without fear of academic repercussions.

It’s the first time that the Senate has granted amnesty for the Global Climate Strike. However, it often applies the status each year for the student Day of Action in February.