On Friday 15th February, school students came out onto the streets in their thousands across the country in a call to action over the climate crisis. In Sheffield, hundreds came out on strike at the Town Hall and spoke about why they were there.
As expected, there was a radical, militant mood amongst students, and many gave rousing speeches on the urgency to tackle climate change if the older and current generation of politicians won’t. Some correctly blamed capitalism for the climate crisis and called for “communists and socialists to fight climate catastrophe!”, “All students of the world, unite!”, and “Trump is a wasteman!” echoing Sheffield’s Lord Mayor Magid Magid’s slogan.
In Sheffield, regular flooding, the ongoing street trees scandal, and its proximity to the wild Peak District, gives the people of Sheffield an acute awareness of the climate crisis. With Sheffield’s proud industrial heritage and working-class communities, many can see the solutions that socialism provides to fight climate change.
School and university students are calling out for an alternative and understand the need for radical change to the failed status-quo. Students we spoke to were enthusiastic about the ideas of Marxism and its role in overthrowing capitalism if we are to tackle climate change.
It’s clear that the profound ideas of Marx, Engels, Lenin and Trotsky are being adopted by a growing number of young people. Students and workers are increasingly aware that only a socialist revolution will enable us to fight climate change. Join us in the fight for socialism and to save our planet!
Stan Laight, Sheffield Marxists
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