International climate activists gather in flood hit Slovenia and demand rapid action

Record breaking flood catastrophes across Slovenia European have led to an alliance of international climate activists coming to Slovenia to show their solidarity and demand from European leaders that 2023 must be a turning point for climate action.

Slovenia was recently hit by it’s worst ever natural disaster in the country’s history. The floods left thousands of people facing the ruins of their existence. Last week, EU commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited the country to express solidarity yet failed to connect the disatser to global climate dangers. Now climate activists have gathered in the flooded region having been invited by the Slovenian 8 March Institute. 

In a press conference, the activists presented an emergency Call to Action from dozens of european youth climate activists, directed at European leaders. Together with locals, the activists then went to the affected regions to support and connect.

Slovenian activist Nika Kovač, head of the 8 March Institute stated: 

"Fridays for Future activists from all over Europe have come to Slovenia and we are touched by their solidarity and help on the ground. Nevertheless all of us are demanding solidarity and support from the European Union. We know that the floods are a shared European responsibility. They affect every one of us. We can only save our future as a united community."

In a press conference in Ljubiana, Luisa Neubauer from Fridays For Future Germany stated: “This catastrophe is not an isolated incidence. These Floods are a European catastrophe and demand European solidarity. They must be a turning point for European leaders for climate action to finally protect the most affected people.”, before concluding with: “It’s clear: crises like this are only made possible by the escalating climate crisis. The summer of 2023 should not be remembered as a summer of pain but as a summer of action.” 

The Austrian Climate Activist Lena Woschitz, herself a victim of the immense floods in the south of Carinthia, adds in solidarity: “In my home town in Austria I already experienced this catastrophe first hand. But what I’m seeing here in Slovenia leaves me speechless in so many ways. We - as youth from all around Europe - call on the European leaders and demand that this is the last disaster where you look away and don't act.”

Mia Bradić from Fridays For Future Croatia restated: “We are witnessing the catastrophic effects of the climate crisis. Even though the EU has expressed solidarity with funds, the most crucial part is missing: We need comprehensive and intense system change. We need a just ecological transition for everybody living in countries already deeply affected by the climate crisis, like Slovenia is currently by the floods.” She concluded: “This is necessary to avoid further even worse consequences - The time to act is now!”