I would like to salute the children who went on the climate change protest (Pupils take to streets in climate change protests, February 16).

Like the Iraq war millions of lives are at stake. Climate change will act through drowned lands, crop failure and water shortage.

We live in a topsy turvy world where the adults are studying at school and the squabbling infantile children are in Westminster. Theresa May said the protests were ‘a waste of lesson time’.

This from a Prime Minster who is the leader in obfuscation, prevarication and time wasting that now sees us head out of the EU with no deal, which will be disastrous to UK plc.

She is a climate change denier. Now she has to make a decision whether to let the fracking firms off the leash by relaxing earthquake limits. We know that fracking is as bad as burning coal in climate change. The question is, will she grow up, or will she burn out our futures?

Chris Clayton,

Hempland Drive, York

Parents of protesters should face a fine

PAGE five of The Press on Saturday, February 16 shows students and pupils protesting against climate change.

Can we assume that the parents of these protesters will now face fines for allowing their children to take a ‘holiday’ during a school term?

Why could they not protest on a weekend and not disrupt their education? Or would a weekend demonstration interfere with their social activities, which would suggest their social life is more important than their education?

A P Cox,

Heath Close,

Holgate, York

I applaud our pupils for their actions

AS I passed the large group of school children gathered in St Helen’s Square protesting against the failure of government and businesses to take climate change, biodiversity loss, and the energy transition to a low carbon future seriously, I applauded them.

And I applaud them again now. Of course they should be in school but it is the collective failure of their elders that has forced them to raise their voices and take to the streets.

It is the generation at school and those in their 20s who will pay the price of our wilful disregard of environmental issues, and the chaos of Brexit, and the pointless isolationism that some people appear to crave.

Protecting bees and sharks and fish stocks and wild places requires us to work constructively with our neighbours rather than retreating behind barricades.

Weaning ourselves off dirty fossil fuels similarly requires international action and co-operation. Young people know this and are ashamed of their elders. I don’t blame them.

Christian Vassie,

Blake Court,

Wheldrake, York

Hire a striking pupil while they know it all

A message to all York employers. Quick. Hire a striking school pupil while they still know everything.

Matthew Laverack,

Lord Mayors Walk, York

We need a future in balance with nature

AS a child of the sixties, I am very proud of our children of today, who are now protesting about climate change by marching in our streets.

My book EarthZoo and its revised update, is a simplistic parable of what happens when, as a planetary species, we ignore the signs of self destruction we are so capable of.

We are too dependant on fossil fuel usage, when more green options must be our future. Are we to become lemmings who throw ourselves over climate destructive cliffs, or can we wise up to a future in balance with nature?

Time is not on our side; we must act now. Again I am so proud that our children are our conscience.

P R Shepherdson,

Chantry Close,

Woodthorpe, York