Young climate activist Greta Thunberg visits Germany for Friday school strikes

The Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg says Germany’s school strikes for climate action give her “a lot of hope,” news agency dpa reports in an article in the Tagesspiegel. The 16-year-old visited Germany for the first time since her calls for school strikes to demonstrate for climate action gained her international popularity. She participated in a protest of the Fridays for Future movement in Hamburg on Friday. Thunberg said Germany is one of the most important countries in the fight against climate change. “Germany is a key player. Whatever Germany does has a big impact on the rest of the world. That’s why I think you should see this as a big opportunity,” she said.

School strikes modelled on Thunberg’s initial protest in front of the Swedish parliament have gained increasing momentum in many countries around the world over the past months and put climate action in the focus of national debates. In Germany, thousands of students have taken part in protests in recent months, reaching a high point on January 18, when organisers estimated some 30,000 students took part in more than 50 cities. The next major strike in Germany is planned for 15 March and will focus on demanding lower emissions in the transport sector.