Student climate strikes begin at Czech universities

A three-day climate strike organised by the student group Universities for the Climate began on Wednesday at some Czech universities, the Czech News Agency reports. Students from 21 faculties from nine Czech universities in Prague, Brno, Olomouc, Hradec Králové and Pardubice are taking part in the strike, which will last until Friday, November 17.

In Prague, the strike started at 11:00 a.m. with a rally followed by lectures, debates and workshops. Eight faculties at Charles University in Prague are participating, as well as the Czech Technical University and some art colleges. Students at some faculties are planning to spend the night at the university.

The protest organisers say they want to draw attention to and start a debate around the unsustainability of an economy based on limitless growth and for the economy to be judged by a metric other than GDP, which they say is an outdated indicator that does not take into account the limited resources of the planet, the fulfilment of basic human needs, or the distribution of wealth in society. They also demand the introduction of citizens' assemblies and for a climate law to be approved that would ensure the continuity of Czech climate policy.