During spring and summer 2019, on late Friday afternoons, 15:00 – 17:00, a group of activists assemble at the Gustav Adolf Torg by Nordstan and closer to Central Station. These activists are alerting the public and politicians that we have to act now to stop the rise of temperatures – prevent climate change, and stop using of fossil-fuels (petrol or gas).
Emelie Ribeiro is one of the activists who makes her presence in the afternoons on Fridays. She is concerned that the politicians are not doing enough to have environmental friendly policies. To this effect, she refers to the projected rise of temperatures in the world by 1.5 degree Celsius and notes that the politicians are not doing enough, and they should act now.
Friday, 24 May, 2019: On this day many Gothenburgers are like to gather at Gustav Adolf Torg, not only it is Friday, but is also part of Global Strike for Future which is taking place in 123 countries.
GRETA THUNBERG: Greta Thunberg is a Swedish teenager who drew national and international attention with her action: climate strike. She sits near the Swedish Parliament House in Stockholm demanding Sweden to fall ‘in line with the Paris Declaration’. She is the force behind the worldwide movement with her climate strike ‘Fridays for Future’. The movement has spread to many parts of the world, and continues to spread.
Change is coming whether you like it or not. –Greta Thunberg
On 15 March 2019, more than 1.5 million people participated in the global strike for future across 2083 places across 125 countries. Most of the participants are children and young people. In Gothenburg on that day, about 2000 people gathered at the Gustav Adolf Torg.
Environmental activists and scientists are warning the governments and policy makers that climate change is happening: melting ice, extreme weather conditions, increasing CO2 emissions, droughts and storms among others. The activists at Gustav Adolf Torg are alerting the public and politicians with their presence, and posters: One physically-challenged person in a wheelchair, with a placard, says thanks Västtrafik for trying to make a better climate. Other posters say:
SAVE OUR CLIMATE
THERE IS NO PLANET –B
SOLKRAFT? JA, TACK! (SOLAR ENERGY? YES, THANKS)
EARTH WILL SURVIVE CLIMATE CHANGE, WE WON’T
‘We only have a few years to drastically turn down the emissions, if we are to have a chance to avoid the disastrous climate change completely. If the earth is warmed up by more than 1.5 degree Celsius, we will witness a highly uncertain future where a number of human and natural systems are pressed far beyond their adaptability,’ says Klimatsamling.
Klimatsamling (Climate Assembly or Gathering) is an apolitical body that gathers environmental activists, and publishes information on manifestations, events, meetings, collaborate with other climate groups and organizations to create an opinion, shares information about the climate crisis and how one can engage oneself for a sustainable future.
Klimatsamling in Gothenburg is demanding action to prevent climate change at the global level, policy makers, NOW, and also the ‘City of Gothenburg’. It says the local government ‘has ambitious environmental and climate policies but not yet established a plan as to how the city will reach the 1.5 degree Celsius goal. The policy must go from words to action. This is it!’ And, it asks the Gothenburgers to two things. One is to ‘Vote for Gothenburg Proposal 839’ online to ‘Expose climate emergency immediately’ and number two is to investigate into the use of fossil-fuels in Gothenburg – what measures to take for fossil-free city, and also demands that ‘greenhouse gas emissions in Gothenburg must decrease at a rate higher than 30 per cent a year and be close to zero by 2030’. It also suggests one to stand outside and make oneself heard at the City Council Building by the square when the elected representatives go inside to attend a conference or meeting.
