Many of today's students see climate change as their ''Nuclear Free moment" and three Northland schoolgirls have organised their fellow pupils to strike from school for the day to protest about the lack of international action on the issue.
Russell School pupils Kira Kammerer, aged 12, Evie Trotter, 9 and Lia Kammerer, 12, were inspired by an international movement of schoolchildren striking to draw attention to climate change, which will affect young people the most into the future.
At least 15 other schools from elsewhere around New Zealand are taking part in School Strike 4 Climate NZ protest and the three girls hope more Northland pupils will take part too.
"We are striking from Russell school on March 15 for the climate, we're going to meet at the school swimming pool gate at 8.45am and then walk down to the village green next to the Russell town hall. We will strike there for the whole school day,'' Evie said.
''We are striking from school to tell our politicians to take our futures seriously and treat climate change for what it is - a crisis. They can show us that they care by taking urgent action to move New Zealand beyond fossil fuels and get the job done of moving us to 100 per cent renewable energy for all.''