University of Sheffield vice chancellor joins in huge climate change protest

Professor Koen Lamberts was one of a number of speakers calling for more to be done to tackle the ecological crisis at a rally held outside the University of Sheffield's Student's Union.

It was part of a worldwide Global Climate Strike, in which people in workplaces across the world were encouraged to down tools and organise protests to bring attention to the issue.

Alongside the university protest, there was a huge rally held in the city centre in which thousands of people marched and listened to speeches.

Prof. Lamberts said: “There is a very important way in which we can help (solve the ecological crisis) and that is in how we can educate the next generation – the students who we stand with today and the young people who will be the most affected by the impact of climate change in years to come.

“We will be embedding Education for Sustainable Development into the curriculum of every single course we offer at this university.”

ESD is a United Nations led initiative that aims to infuse understanding about climate change into the delivery of education.

The University and College Union General Secretary Jo Grady said: ‘The trade union movement is fully behind the actions against the climate crisis.

“The work done by Greta Thunberg and school students around the world has been inspirational and now it’s time for the rest of us to make our voices heard.”

This is the latest in a series of recent eco-protests to be held in the city.

Members of Extinction Rebellion Sheffield marched to the Town Hall on Saturday to unveil a climate declaration to the powers that be urging them to take action.

The moves comes after protesters temporarily blocked Bridgehouses Roundabout in Kelham Island last Monday morning causing traffic to be gridlocked.

Protesters want Sheffield City Council to reverse a decision to widen the Inner Ring Road, which they claim will bring more traffic into the city centre.

But authority claims widening the road will improve traffic flow which in turn is then better for the environment.

Schoolgirl Greta Thunberg, aged 16, inspired a worldwide movement calling for action on climate change when she held a solo protest outside the Swedish parliament in August last year.