Climate activists at the Global Climate Strike called for urgent fossil fuel reduction, renewable energy investment and climate justice, warning vulnerable nations like Bangladesh face escalating floods, cyclones, salinity and displacement.
Activists at the recent #FossilFreeFuture Global Climate Strike warned that the world can no longer remain silent as climate disasters intensify across the globe, calling for urgent action to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and ensure climate justice for vulnerable nations like Bangladesh.
The strike, held as countries continue to face devastating floods, cyclones, heatwaves, river erosion and rising salinity, was described by campaigners as more than a symbolic protest. They said it represented a fight for survival, accountability and justice from a generation demanding immediate action against climate change.
Climate activists said the worsening crisis has exposed deep global inequalities, with countries and communities that contributed the least to carbon emissions now suffering the harshest consequences.
“Global South countries, coastal communities, farmers, women and children are becoming victims of climate injustice every day,” the statement said, adding that industrialisation and fossil fuel dependence in developed nations continue to place the burden on poorer and climate-vulnerable populations.
Bangladesh, considered one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries, remains on the frontline of the crisis. Every year thousands of families lose their homes to river erosion while salinity destroys agricultural land and cyclones and excessive rainfall disrupt livelihoods across the country.
Despite contributing only a minimal share of global carbon emissions, Bangladesh continues to bear a disproportionate cost of the climate crisis, activists said.
Campaigners stressed that a “Fossil-Free Future” is no longer just a slogan but an urgent necessity.
They called on governments and corporations to rapidly reduce fossil fuel dependence and significantly increase investment in renewable energy. Activists also urged policymakers to ensure a “Just Transition” so that workers and marginalised communities are not left behind during the shift to clean energy.
Developed countries were also urged to fulfil their climate finance commitments to help developing nations strengthen adaptation and recovery efforts.
Youth participation was highlighted as a driving force behind the movement, with organisers saying young people are not only future leaders but also the voice of the present.
From Chattogram to cities around the world, young activists have taken to the streets to show that awareness, organisation and collective action remain powerful tools for change, they said.
The Global Climate Strike also delivered a direct message to world leaders that environmental destruction cannot be justified in the name of development and that political inaction is no longer acceptable.
“Our planet is not for profit. Our future is not negotiable. And our voices will not be ignored,” the statement said.
The statement was issued by Abdul Mannan Jihad.
