In a well-known telephone company's advertisement, members of the Fridays for Future movement show a politician their placards reading "There is no planet B", and he instantly ages, because — as the advertising slogan goes — "The truth makes you grow up".

These young activists have not yet tired of shouting the truth about the climate to the world: we must act immediately to protect ecosystems and mitigate global warming. Research has shown that the pandemic we are living through is a consequence of the destruction of natural habitats. Last month, a study was published stating that by 2100 summers risk lasting six months. And yet, emissions are already rising again compared to 2020.

For this reason, the young men and women who decided to follow in the footsteps of Swedish activist Greta Thunberg — the first to go on strike out of concern for the fate of the Planet, back in August 2018 — have no intention of stopping, even now that our lives are "on stand-by". Two years on from the first global climate strike, they are taking to the streets again — if only virtually — to ensure that the fight against climate change continues, with more fervour than before.

The aim of the Global Day of Action for the Climate

They have therefore planned, for 19 March, a new Global Day of Action for the Climate. The movement's goal is to call for the funds of Next Generation EU to be invested in policies to bring greenhouse gas emissions to zero, "the cause of the climate crisis". What they are pushing for, however, are concrete and immediate actions: the words of politicians promising carbon-neutral countries by 2030 or 2050 are not enough.

"Since the start of the pandemic, we have been hearing about this recovery that will necessarily have to be based on a new paradigm — one that responds not only to the economic crisis, but also to the climate crisis. We hear a great many words, but we still see very few actions, and yet it is actions that will carry us out of the crisis. The years remaining are truly few," says Giovanni Mori, host of the programme Radio for Future on LifeGate Radio.

And these young activists have plenty of ideas on the matter: last April they launched Ritorno al futuro, a series of proposals for the recovery written together with scientists, experts and associations from across Italy. "Actions that would allow a genuine recovery and, at the same time, kick-start the ecological transition, in keeping with climate justice."

Fittingly, the appeal is also addressed to the new Minister for Ecological Transition, Roberto Cingolani, who has just presented his policy programme, based on the "intimate connection between the environment, energy and development".

Listen to "È arrivato il super ministero della Transizione ecologica" on Spreaker.

What events are planned

In some Italian cities, demonstrations are scheduled in compliance with anti-Covid regulations and can also be followed via live stream. Online debates and meetings on environmental topics are also planned; in particular, from 11:15 to 12:00 it is possible to connect on YouTube for a meeting with Roberto Mercadini (theatre actor, writer and YouTuber) and Vincenzo Balzani (chemist and world-renowned science communicator).

Anyone wishing to support the campaign is invited to join the social bombing and tweetstorm action that the activists have prepared, with the aim of fuelling discussion on the topics of global warming and the protection of biodiversity, bringing them onto our feeds and spreading them far and wide.

Who are the new Fridays for Future spokespeople

Right on the eve of the Global Day of Action for the Climate, Fridays for Future Italy elected six spokespeople, "a diverse group that represents the variety and voices of the entire movement":

• Giovanni Mori, 27, member of the Brescia local group, environmental and energy engineer;
• Lavinia Lovino, 14, part of the Rome local group, attends a European classical secondary school;
• Laura Vallaro, 20, activist from Chieri (TO), student of Forest Sciences;
• Michela Spina, 23, from the Naples local group, graduate in Veterinary Medicine;
• Filippo Sotgiu, 20, born in Olbia, activist in Rome where he is a student of Mathematics;
• Martina Comparelli, 27, member of the Milan local group, graduate with a master's degree in International Development, currently specialising in "Climate Change and Health".

The organisation has made clear that it will not change its essence, which features a horizontal structure within which everyone has freedom of speech and is encouraged to fight for the common cause. The role of the spokespeople will therefore not be to act as leaders, but solely to serve as a megaphone for the most pressing issues and "give resonance to the political demands developed by the many young — and not so young — people fighting for our future".

At this moment we feel that our future is uncertain, that we are unable to plan our lives. But we must realise that our future was uncertain even before the pandemic, because the Planet we live on is at risk. It is time to find a cure for the Earth too.