Source: youtu.be

“The protest is about the Urgenda case,” says EUR student Daisy Ruijter. According to the Supreme Court ruling, the government must reduce CO2 emissions by at least 25 per cent by the end of last year compared to 1990. “It is important to let the government know that we still remember this lawsuit and that we still hold them accountable.”

Awareness

The protest starts with a speech about sustainable food by Pinar Coskun in the Erasmus Campus Garden. Then they start the cycling journey to the city. Along the way they stop at various places, where Coskun talks about the consequences of climate change.

In total, more than twenty people attend this protest. Student Adriana Mockovcakova hopes that it can really make a difference. “That humans and nature can live in balance,” that’s important to her. Student Marjolein Moeijes is participating in the protest because she thinks it is important to create climate awareness. “Half a degree of warming is already too much. It will have catastrophic consequences.”

Changing the future

In addition to protesting, Ilse Oldenburg uses the bicycle tour to get to know the city better. “I just moved, so it’s great fun to ride with a purpose.” She herself is pessimistic about the future. “CO2 emissions are still rising and if they stay that way, the future doesn’t look so bright.”

Adriana holds hope for the future: “Many changes have to take place. But I am convinced that we can solve the climate problem. I mean, why else would we be here? Why do we keep doing this if we don’t believe in it?”