St Albans pupils are joining youth activists all over the country in a school strike over the climate emergency.

Organised by the Hertfordshire branch of UK Student Climate Network, the YouthStrike4Climate demonstration is trying to force the government to take urgent action over the global warming crisis.

In 2018, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a report warning the world had 12 years to make changes before extreme heat, drought, floods and poverty ravage the planet.

The UK Student Climate Network is a student-led environmental campaign group.

A spokesperson from the Herts branch said: "We believe it is vital for everyone to attend the strikes.

"Both [Stevenage MP] Stephen McPartland and [St Albans MP] Anne Main have repeatedly voted against measures to prevent climate change, and we need to show our MPs that enough is enough - we care about the environment and we need them to.

"In this time of political unrest the climate is being ignored, and we believe that the government's 2050 net zero emissions target is too far away."

This strike action is inspired by Swedish 16-year-old Greta Thunberg, who went on school strike every Friday to protest lack of climate legislation.

Greta has since given a speech at the UN Climate Conference in Katowice and brought global media attention to school strikes for climate change.

Jessica Ahmed, 16, of the UK Student Climate Network said: "The government's failure to tackle climate change and implement effective policies can't be ignored anymore.

"On September 20, millions of people will be taking action globally, demanding change and policies that will protect our future, such as a Green New Deal.

"Instead of focusing all their energy on Brexit, we desperately need our politicians to put their time, resources and money towards dealing with the worsening climate emergency. Time is running out."

The St Albans event will take place on September 20 at the Clock Tower from 9am to 11am.

There will also be similar events in Stevenage, Bishop's Stortford, and Letchworth Garden City.

For more on climate action, see ukscn.org.