Disruption expected on these Leeds roads as climate strikers skip school for protest

YouthStrike4Climate Leeds have organised the protest, which starts outside Leeds Town Hall at 11am.

Inspired by Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, the group have organised several similar strikes in Leeds over recent months.

Young protesters will be missing lessons and are encouraging adults on their lunch breaks to join them.

The march through the city starts at 12.30. Rolling road closures will be in place.

The route is as follows:

The Headrow

Park Row

Boar Lane

Briggate

The Headrow

A press release from YouthStrike4Climate Leeds said: "2019 was the year when young people built an international movement of millions from nothing, demanding climate justice in countries across the world. 2020 must see this movement continue to grow as we enter a pivotal decade for the climate and our collective futures.

"This year has already seen Australia devastated by raging fires and Jakarta submerged by freak rainfall.

"This is just the beginning, if humanity doesn’t rapidly reduce emissions to prevent catastrophic global warming of more than 1.5 degrees, in line with the IPCC’s 2018 special report.

"For the UK, emissions must be cut by 6.6 per cent year on year in order to prevent catastrophic warming."

Nationally, the UK Student Climate Network are demanding that: the Government declare a climate emergency and implement a Green New Deal to achieve Climate Justice; the national curriculum is reformed to address the ecological crisis as an educational priority; the Government communicate the severity of the ecological crisis and the necessity to act now to the general public and that the Government recognise that young people have the biggest stake in our future, by incorporating youth views into policy making and bringing the voting age down to 16.