‘Human globe’ demonstration as Lancaster businesses, teachers, and students to take part in Global Climate Strike

Staff at several Lancaster businesses - including Single Step, Lush, Filbert’s Bakery and Cornerstone Cafe - will also take part in the Global Climate Strike, saying “there will be no jobs on a dead planet”.

At midday on Friday, September 20, Lancaster University staff and students will take part in a half-hour stoppage of work in support of the Global Climate Strike, creating a human globe by standing together in Alexandra Square.

The event is being organised by the Lancaster University Climate Emergency group, which is campaigning for the university to declare a climate emergency and take action to become carbon neutral by 2030.

Lancaster City Council declared a Climate Emergency in January.

Other businesses will take part in an event in Dalton Square, Lancaster, between 11am and 2pm, organised by Lancaster Youth For Environment (LYFE).

The event is endorsed by Morecambe Bay Extinction Rebels, Lancaster and Morecambe Trades Union Congress, the University and College Union, the National Education Union and The Pensioners Action Group.

The Lancaster branch of the University and Colleges Union (UCU) said that the impacts of climate change are significant and include extreme weather events that are both more frequent and more severe, food and water shortages, rising sea levels, increased numbers of deaths and displaced people - especially among the world’s poor - and loss of biodiversity and vital ecosystems including coral reefs and forests.

Emily House who works at Single Step, said: “It’s really encouraging to hear that businesses are taking part this time too and showing solidarity with the youth strike; after all there’ll be no jobs on a dead planet! We’re hoping that workers who can’t take time off will be able to come during their lunch hour, maybe even ask for it to be extended, and join us on the streets.”

Emily Winter, spokesperson for Lancaster University Climate Emergency working group and Green Rep for the UCU, said: “The half hour work stoppage demonstrates our solidarity with young people who have been striking from school over the last year.

“Lancaster University is a world-leader in environmental research and has taken some good steps towards making the campus more sustainable, but we urgently need to do much more to address the scale of the emergency.”

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