“Fight Every Crisis”: Global Climate Strike on Friday – Austria

Under the motto “Fight Every Crisis”, Fridays for Future Vienna invites you to the sixth global climate strike on Friday. Activists want to send a signal that the corona pandemic is not the only current crisis. More than 80 organizations such as Global 2000, Amnesty International and the railway workers union Vida participate in the demonstration. A press conference Tuesday said the minimum distance and mask requirement should protect against the corona virus.

“I would like a lot of people to come to the climate strike and take to the streets with us for this better world,” said Fridays for Future activist Viviane Wörther. The student also pointed out the hygiene measures planned due to the corona pandemic. Always keep a minimum distance of one meter. In addition, mouth and nose protection is mandatory when participating. It is assumed that around 100 commissioners will verify compliance with the measures. “Nobody is too small,” stressed Wörther, pointing to the upcoming municipal elections in Vienna. “The next Viennese government will be the last to implement the Paris climate targets,” he said.

For environmental physician Hans-Peter Hutter, it is especially important that everyone doesn’t just look at each other during the corona pandemic. “We can see from the crown crisis that our healthcare system, which is one of the best in the world, is rapidly reaching its limits,” he said. From your medical point of view, immediate action is essential. “Wildfires in California, tropical temperatures and heat waves in Siberia show that the climate crisis is not in quarantine or at headquarters,” he said. The currently unusually high temperatures in September are just a preview of what could flourish in the future.

“The climate crisis is truly one of the greatest human rights challenges of our time,” said Amnesty Austria Director General Annemarie Schlack. For particularly vulnerable people, such as women, children and indigenous communities, speak up. “In the Amazon, the livelihoods of indigenous peoples are being destroyed, with the support of the government,” he said, adding that one should not stand idly by.

For union life, the main focus is on the transportation of goods. “These are more climate-friendly means of transport to get freight on the tracks,” said Günter Blumthaler, chairman of the railway department, adding that it was already five past twelve to do something. “We will keep our distance, but we will make noise. So we will leave a climate-friendly Austria for all generations,” he said.

The climate strike begins in Vienna on Friday at 12 noon in three locations: Hauptbahnhof, Westbahnhof and Wien Mitte. After the first rallies, the demonstration trains should move to Heldenplatz, where the main rally with speeches and music should start at 2.30pm