“The government has to stop Adani because it’s ruining our chances of a future,” Milou Albrecht said.

The 14-year-old from Castlemaine is among the drivers of the School Strike 4 Climate Action campaign, which has received global attention after the students’ activism attracted the ‘outrage’ of Prime Minister Scott Morrison during Question Time. 

Thousands of students are expected to walk out of school tomorrow to demand their elected representatives in parliament treat climate change like the crisis it is.

Miss Albrecht said Adani would likely be at the forefront of the students’ minds.

Adani Mining chief executive Lucas Dow today announced an ‘imminent’ start to major works on the company’s coal mine project in Queensland, which has been in development for eight years.

He said the Carmichael mine, in the state’s Galilee Basin, would be entirely self-financed and the company had all the funds it needed to proceed. 

Mr Dow said last month’s decision to scale the size and scope of the project back to a $2 billion mine producing 10 – 15 million tonnes a year meant it could move ahead.

Adani had previously envisaged a 60 million tonnes a year, $16.5 billion mega-mine.

The state government has the say over the final environmental and planning approvals for the project.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has always said the mine needed to stack up financially.

Mr Dow said today’s announcement removed any doubt as to that.

"We have already invested $3.3 billion in Adani's Australian businesses, which is a clear demonstration of our capacity to deliver a financing solution for the revised scope of the mine and rail project,” he said in a statement.

The project has been fiercely opposed by environmental groups. It is also among the causes the School Strike 4 Climate Action is passionate about stopping.

Miss Albrecht plans on wearing her ‘#StopAdani’ earrings at tomorrow’s protest in Melbourne, which runs for two hours from noon outside Parliament House.

Bendigo Sustainability Group’s Chris Corr said the School Strike 4 Climate Change movement had demonstrated even primary school-aged children recognised the impact of the Adani coal mine.

“Surely the government and others should listen,” he said.

Mr Corr said Adani’s announcement was ‘very bad news for our climate, our kids and the future generations.’

“We’re locking in the dangers of global warming from burning more coal,” he said.

Member for Bendigo Lisa Chesters said the consequences of refusing to take real action on climate change would be devastating for Australia and its economy.

“We are facing a global climate change emergency as human activity has increased average global temperatures,” she said.

As the local member for many of the students initially involved in developing the School Strike 4 Climate Change campaign, Ms Chesters today spoke in support of their efforts in federal parliament.

“It is a big deal for anybody to go on strike, whether you are a worker or a student,” she said.

“It is part of our democracy and social fabric that people go on strike to demonstrate around an ideal or a value.”

She said the students, who she spoke with during their two-day strike in Bendigo earlier this month, were concerned about the use of fossil fuels. 

“They want to see a just transition away from coal-fired power to newer, greener, cleaner energy,” Ms Chesters said.

- with Australian Associated Press

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