A group of Lincoln University students have attracted plenty of media interest today as they set out first thing this morning for a hīkoi from the campus gates.
Beginning at 6am, they marched more than 22km to Cathedral Square for this afternoon’s School Strike 4 Climate.
TVNZ’s Breakfast covered the beginning of the action, speaking to third year Bachelor of Environment and Society student Chelsea Yeoman at the campus gates, just before the hīkoi began.
Chelsea, who organised the event, manages the Lincoln University Climate Change Action Group, which works to promote a sustainable future for generations to come.
She said that she had become frustrated with the lack of action from fellow university students on the climate crisis.
“So we got a group together at our university who want to see change. We’ve had an amazing turn-out today and it’s a group from all over the world.
“We’re excited to stand with the young people and say as university students, ‘we hear you, we agree with you and we stand with you.’”
Chelsea told NewstalkZB that it was particularly important for farming students to be taking a stand.
“Moving into the future, I think people are realising that sustainability has to be at the heart of everything.
“Obviously it’s at the heart of environmental degrees but it has to be at the heart of agricultural degrees too.”
One News spoke to Chelsea while the hīkoi was in progress and she said the walk was a good way to get to the square without creating emissions.
“Instead of using vehicles, we’re using our feet.
“It was amazing to see global strikes last Friday and they’re happening again but even bigger this time. We’re demanding from our leaders that we need to see systematic change in the face of this climate crisis.”
Today’s School Strike 4 Climate was the third to take place, with members of the public, businesses and organisations participating alongside the school students.
Lincoln was the first university in New Zealand to back the strike after Acting Vice-Chancellor Bruce McKenzie received a letter from the students’ association President, Kristy Havill, asking that he enable staff and students to attend the event today.
Professor McKenzie said Lincoln’s strong, land-based history was where the future lay, and the university was passionate about the need to protect the land.
“Environmental sustainability is a huge part of who we are, and we completely support this initiative. Sustainability is taught across the university’s academic programmes and is a major research focus in most departments.”
Lincoln University is also addressing climate change issues as part of its strategic direction by investing $8m into energy diversification over the next decade.
The use of coal will be phased out over the next several years, with the aim of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030.
The university has this week signed a proposal from energy and utility experts, Lumen, to move the campus away from fossil fuels, improve energy performance, minimise risk and ensure adequate resilience.
Lincoln has also taken the first step towards energy diversification with the installation of a solar array on the roof of its Te Kete Ika Dining Hall. The array is part of the largest solar programme for a New Zealand university and forms part of a wider partnership with Meridian Energy.
