Inslee says he’ll join youth climate strikers in Las Vegas

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) on Friday said that he plans to join youth climate protesters in September for a general global strike.

{mosads}Inslee, who is among two dozen Democrats vying for the presidency, is presenting himself as the climate candidate, focusing much of his campaign message on the environment.

He tweeted that he is “proud to be joining strikers in Las Vegas,” telling Swedish teen activist Greta Thunberg: “I’ll be there.”

I’ll be there, @GretaThunberg. I’m proud to be joining the strikers in Las Vegas. #Fridays4Future https://t.co/ziyFQvPT7g

— Jay Inslee (@JayInslee) May 24, 2019

Thousands of youth activists worldwide, inspired by Thunberg’s weekly protest at the Swedish parliament, have led the Fridays for the Future movement by walking out of school to demand their governments take action to thwart climate threats.

A global strike is planned for Sept. 20, and activists are asking adults to join them.

“To change everything, we need everyone,” they wrote in The Guardian this week. “It is time for all of us to unleash mass resistance — we have shown that collective action does work. We need to escalate the pressure to make sure that change happens, and we must escalate together.”

Earlier this month, Inslee unveiled his first proposals on climate policy, including calling for investing $9 trillion in green jobs.

He also outlined his goal to transition the U.S. electric grid, vehicles and buildings to 100 percent clean energy by 2030.