Youth Climate Strikes: ‘The Point is to Change It’

As young people in Wellington, New Zealand, marched against climate change on Friday 15 March, Adaire Hannah, IBT supporter and teacher, participated alongside her students. In a short speech from the open mic, she quoted Karl Marx: “Philosophers have only interpreted the world; the point, however, is to change it.” She added:

“Capitalism is based on profit so capitalists are not concerned with long-term consequences of their actions on the environment or lives of ordinary people. Some capitalists, such as Exxon, are building sea walls to limit the impact of climate change on their businesses.

“You asked the politicians here why New Zealand has not withdrawn from all current fossil fuel contracts. They are waiting for these contracts to expire by the end of 2034. They do not have the courage to rip the contracts up without paying compensation.

“Congratulations to the organizers of this successful student action against climate change. This is only the beginning of the fight for the necessary social changes to address this and other issues. Capitalism cannot provide a safe future for humanity and the planet.”

See also: Communism & Ecology: Human Emancipation & the Materialist Conception of History