An image circulating on social media summed up the sentiment succinctly: “We’ll be less activist when you are less shit.”

Carbon News asked some of the thousand or so protestors who marched from Civic Square to Parliament why they were protesting and what they’d like politicians to do?

Tarek (left) and Gene

Gene: "I went on the 2019 march, and then Covid hit and I feel like no one has been paying enough attention to the climate and what’s been happening. It’s been overlooked. We need better public transport because public transport is terrible and that’s why everybody takes cars.

"I would say force farmers to cut emissions but they’ve had it pretty rough lately."

Tarek: "I came because I thought it would fun. And I thought they could do something about it because nothing has been going on."

Rosa and Robyn

Rosa: "Get a move on. I’d like to see more rubbish bins in Wellington."

Robyn: "If the politicians are listening, they should make an effort to stop the farmers. Make them pay taxes. And they just need to make a better effort at speeding up New Zealand’s contribution because we’re not doing enough."

Evania (left) and mates

Evania: :This is our future and we’re going to be affected by what you’re doing. So if you guys would like to help us out and realise the effects you’re having on our future stopping fossil fuels being dug up and stop oil being burnt that would be much appreciated.

"There’s very little being done. Almost nothing."

Mila and her dad Kane.

 Mila: "More bike lanes."

What do they want?

At times it was difficult to hear the responses over the chant: "What do want? Climate justice. When do we want it? Now."

Carbon News asked the organisers of the marches, via their Facebook page, to sum up what they wanted to see happen.

“Our key demands are no new exploration or mining of fossil fuel resources, lower the voting age to 16, 30% of marine protection by 2025, support regenerative farming and e-bikes rebates for lower income families, students and community service card holders. 

“Many of these demands, especially the very first one gives us an indication of whether our politicians are actually serious about climate action or whether they're just paying lip-service.

“We need to protect the nature that we exploit to fuel our economy, because there can be no economy on a dead planet and I hope our politicians show that they understand and care with their actions, not meaningless, empty words”

 And could schools be doing more?

“Kura need to provide students with much more information regarding climate change, both the effects it will have but also the ways we can mitigate emissions using kaitiakitanga.

“At the moment, pretty much all climate education and awareness is student-led but we need it to be a key aspect of all schools whether that is decisions with school boards and staff or how they educate ākonga. 

“As part of the Make it 16 demand, we want to see better civics education brought into classrooms so that rangatahi are more educated on different issues and more engaged in politics.

“Rangatahi should definitely have more of a say in how schools are run, like all things around Aotearoa it feels like anyone in power is typically of a certain demographic and can often be slightly out of touch with the needs of younger people and those of less represented demographics.

“Students know what works for them, and so building schools around students and our concerns will help lead to a better school environment and a better education for all.”