In recent months, Belgium has been in the global spotlight due to the student protests about climate change and environmental conservation. Over 35,000 school students took to the streets in Brussels, Liège and Leuven to rally for change in government policies towards global warming. The mass truancy of many students across the country shows how the Belgian youth are open minded and are pushing for a better and cleaner future. This environmental and social issue is prevalent across Belgium, the movement began in Sweden and has spread to 270 countries around the globe.
Students, like myself, from all around the world and all different types of institutions, must come together to advocate for change in government climate policies in order to reduce the effects of global warming. As the younger generation, we must push for change for a better future not only for ourselves, but our children and our children’s children.
This international issue of climate change has been one that I have followed and learned about in my university studies, so it is something that is important to me because I am interested in environmental conservation. There were similar protests in my home town of Melbourne in which school students came together and voiced what was important to them.
This student movement in Belgium represents the impact that the younger generation can have on local government policies and for international climate efforts. Climate change is a global issue affecting everyone on the planet, therefore the protests in Belgium are a starting point for a global conversation of change.
Student Lens - Travel Captured 