Climate strikes, environmental protests in March 2021

By Burak Bir

ANKARA (AA) - Strikes, demonstrations, and protests continued across the globe in the third month of 2021, with protesters demanding more decisive actions to tackle climate change.

Activists and concerned citizens continued their online campaigns and street protests while keeping socially distant due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Events included Fridays for Future protests launched in 2018 by Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg, various campaigns worldwide against anti-environmental practices and attitudes, including global climate strike and several virtual climate strikes.

Here is a timeline of protests and demonstrations compiled by the Anadolu Agency.

March 2:

- Youth Advocates for Climate Action Philippines (YACAP) calls on Standard Chartered and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) to keep their promises on divesting from fossil fuels, saying "It's time to #RaiseYourStandards!"

March 3:

- Fridays For Futures movement calls activists and concerned citizens worldwide to join a global strike on March 19 and demand "No More Empty Promises".

March 5:

- On the first Fridays for Future strike of the month, climate activists and environmental protesters continue to raise awareness about climate change and environmental issues.

- On his 13th week of climate strike, 17-year-old Iraqi climate activist Abdulrahman Thamer calls on educating all people about climate change. He wrote on Twitter: "In this way, they will understand the crisis and they will know how to fight for climate justice."

March 7:

- Saribuhay National, an environmental organization in the Philippines, says security forces in the country's Southern Tagalog region "unleashed a brutal and deadly crackdown" on activists and calls "defend environment defenders".

March 12:

- On the second Fridays for Future strike of March, climate activists and environmental protesters continue to raise awareness about climate change and environmental issues.

- Turkish climate activist Deniz Cevikus completes her 103rd week of climate strike. "We'll be urging world leaders to take the climate crisis seriously," she writes on Twitter, calling everyone to join the global climate strike.

March 15:

- Belgian environmentalists gather in 100 different locations at several cities in simultaneous demonstrations to draw attention to climate change.

- Greenpeace holds an online solidarity campaign over the Polish government's accusations five climate activists over "breaking environment law".

March 16:

- Fridays For Futures movement congratulates its second year of launching climate strike by sharing photos from the first global strike on Twitter.

March 18:

- Climate groups hold news conferences with scientists and activists on the global strike, "net zero" targets, and "#NoMoreEmptyPromises" campaign.

March 19:

- Climate activists and environmental protesters worldwide hold demonstrations and various campaigns to raise awareness against fossil fuels as part of the "global climate strike".

- Climate protesters from YACAP hold a demonstration outside of Standard Charterer office in National Capital Region in the Philippines, calling on the bank to stop funding coal and other fossil fuels at once.

- 350 movement activists in the Indonesian capital Jakarta hold climate strikes, demanding "real climate action, not just empty promises".

- As part of the global climate strike, many activists online or physically attend action in 1068 places in 68 countries, Thunberg says on Twitter, adding: "Soon we'll be back on the streets again."

March 26:

- The last Fridays for Future strike of the month is held.

- On her 136th week of Friday's strike, Thunberg stage demonstration outside of the EU Commission's representation in Sweden and calls on withdrawing the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), as it "violates Paris Agreement".