Hundreds Of Young LA Residents Rally During Global Climate Strike

LOS ANGELES -- Hundreds of young Angelenos rallied and marched in the streets to join others around the world in a Global Climate Strike, a day of action against climate inaction.

Youth Climate Strike Los Angeles, the group organizing Friday's action, said they welcomed people from across the city as well as L.A. County outside of L.A. City Hall at noon to protest the lack of action they say is needed to address the climate crisis and save lives.

Prior to the rally at 1:45 p.m. outside of City Hall South Lawn, a small group of student climate activists addressed members of the City Council.

While a few of their members gave public comments, a climate clock was held by two of their volunteers, symbolizing the need to address the climate crisis immediately.

The office of Council President Paul Krekorian highlighted that the Energy and Environment Committee was debating the size of setbacks -- the distance between active oil wells and sensitive uses -- as initiated by a motion he introduced to make oil and gas extraction a nonconforming use
throughout the city.

``The council president shares the climate strike activists' concern with the dangers posed by a manmade climate catastrophe,'' a statement from Krekorian's office reads. ``He hopes they will continue to pressure all levels of government from action as we in Los Angeles continue our progress towards carbon-free electricity, and all-electric buildings and vehicles.''

In addition, the city is nearing the end of 130 years of oil and gas drilling in residential areas. The city is also leading the way to a 100% carbon-free electrical generation by the year 2035 under the direction of its LA100 plan.

Members of Youth Climate Strike said they've been contacting some of the Council members, such as the office of Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky and Krekorian's deputy for environmental policy, in an effort to work on climate issues. However, the group remains focused on engaging with L.A. County supervisors, as well as the L.A. City Department of Water and Power and L.A.
Unified School District.

The first Global Climate Strike was in September 2019, inspired by Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, who started demanding political action by skipping school and protesting at the Swedish parliament.

Since then, climate strikes have been led by youth leadership across the globe, including here in Los Angeles.

``We're striking in line with demands centered on putting organized people-pressure on our elected officials to act now on climate crisis, to wake up people in this city, to address the climate crisis head-on and to end our dependence on oil,'' Youth Strike L.A. stated in a public document.

According to Aaron, Youth Climate Strike L.A. intends to build power with broader social movements in Los Angeles, support other youth leaders to fight for climate adaptation and to mobilize L.A. to focus on climate action.

The group led four different teams to rally outside City Hall, L.A. County, LADWP and the headquarters of LAUSD.

L.A. youth and members of the climate strike group are calling upon local, state and federal governments, as well as LADWP and LAUSD, to declare a climate emergency and increase efforts to end oil drilling, plant more trees, greening schools, improving public transit, and building affordable, climate-friendly housing.

According to scientists at NASA's Goddard Institute of Space Studies, this summer was Earth's hottest since global records in 1880.

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