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Climate change activists protest outside Parliament, hand over memorandum

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Climate change activists in Cape Town, who protested outside parliament, say young people have an important role to play in convincing government to promote more sustainable projects. There has been some concern about government’s apparent move toward building a new nuclear power station and Nersa’s decision to license three of the controversial Karpowerships from Turkey.  

The group of activists has handed over a memorandum to representatives of parliament during the demonstration.  

The protest forms part of the Global Climate Strike in various cities.

“It’s very important for the youth to come here and realise that the future really does lie in their hands. If we don’t take action now, our future is very uncertain. It’s not something that we can count on if we don’t act now and if we don’t speak up,” says one of the climate activists.

“We need to make sure that we are making way for a just energy transition – a transition to renewable energy that is cleaner, it’s more affordable and it will provide more jobs for the people of South Africa,” says another activist. 

Hundreds of activists gathered outside parliament as part of a worldwide campaign against climate change:

Climate change activists who protested outside parliament, say a large scale shift to renewable energy could create a substantial amount of jobs in the green energy sector.  

African Climate Alliance Activist, Ayakha Melitafa, “We are calling for the urgent establishment of a parliamentary Joint-Standing Committee on Climate and Ecological Crisis, a 1.5 NTC compatible agreement for COP26, the Department of Basic Education to adjust the national curriculum to improve coverage of earth sciences with a specific focus on national literacy on climate change, and an end to all public and private capital investments into the fossil fuel intensive industry.”

The demonstration was organised by the youth-led African Climate Alliance and several other affiliated organisations.

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