“I worry about the planet dying” – why this 8-year-old is on strike…again

Today, school students around the country went on strike for a safe climate. One of those students was 8-year-old Chet, who walked out of the classroom to join the rally in Melbourne.

Chet first went on strike for the climate in 2019, joining 300,000 people across the country to demand climate action. Since then, a lot has changed for him – he’s grown 18 cm taller, lost six baby teeth and read all seven Harry Potter novels.

What hasn’t changed in those two years is Chet’s niggling anxiety about climate change.

“I worry about the planet dying. It’s already getting hotter and if it keeps getting hotter all living things will die,” he said.

Under the Morrison Government, Australia is falling behind the rest of the world in responding to climate change, jeopardising the health and safety of workers exposed to climate impacts and leaving young people facing a tougher future.

According to the School Strike for Climate organisers, the Morrison Government should be doing more to protect the climate, create new jobs in the renewable energy sector and to back First Nations solutions to protect Country.

Chet agrees, explaining that he would like to see the Government listening to science, backing renewable energies and making firmer commitments to reduce emissions.

“I would like to see energy changing. Scott Morrison loves coal, but we need more wind and solar energy.

“I don’t think the Prime Minister is doing a good job because he won’t listen to scientists, and he hasn’t even set a date to meet the Paris agreement.”

While Chet loves school, he believes striking for the climate is more important.

“Striking is a good way to make the Government listen to us.

“I don’t feel like much has changed since the last strike, but I’ll keep doing it until they listen.

“We have to save the planet.”