29 Oct, 2019 | Nina Py Brozovich

Social issues, Lifestyle and Nature

“An Environmental Crisis is a Government Policy, Chiquitanía in Flames is a National Desaster” 

Photos: Lauren Minion and Silvia Saccardi 

Students take to the streets to demand climate justice 

Fridays for Future is a climate justice movement created in August 2018 by Greta Thunberg, a Swedish activist who was then 15 years old. She decided to protest every Friday outside her country’s Parliament, demanding that authorities take action against climate change. Over the past year, Fridays for Future has grown, with up to 7 million young people taking to the  streets across the globe to demand climate justice. La Paz, too, took part in the first-ever world strike for the planet on 15 March 2019.

The Bolivian Fridays for Future chapter has already organised four strikes, one information fair, one street clean-up and various conferences to tackle the issue of climate change. Starting with 150 attendees at its first protest, Fridays for Future now sees upwards of 600 people at its events in in La Paz, mostly students who are demanding that authorities react to this climate crisis.

When I began to understand the seriousness of the problems that we are facing, I felt a profound sadness and disgust. I couldn’t believe that we are living through the most serious crisis in history, and that those who should be finding solutions aren’t interested in this important task. Bolivia is among the countries most threatened by the climate crisis, and one of the 15 most biodiverse nations in the world; it is therefore vitally important that it be involved in this fight. As time passes, we come ever closer to the point of no return – that is, a global temperature rise of 1.5 degrees celsius. If this were to happen, life on earth as we know it would be in danger, including ourselves. This is a problem that concerns all of us, and, therefore, we all have to work together to resolve it. 

Nina Py Brozovich is the founder and spokesperson for the Fridays for Future movement in Bolivia.

“We are the species in danger of extinguishing it all!!!!”

“This sign refers to the fire’s threat to animal species, including the Giant Armadillo”

“Let’s look after the lungs of our planet”

“Police forces prevent unrest by blocking connecting streets”