Coronavirus sends climate strikers back to school - this time, online

By Kate Abnett

LONDON (Reuters) - They walked out of class to fight climate change. Now, as coronavirus shuts schools around the world, they're starting their own.

Fridays For Future, a group that inspired millions of pupils to join protests started by Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, is launching a series of webinars to be held on Fridays for pupils determined to "strike" despite being stuck at home.

Thunberg said the talks will be by "experts and interesting people" who can educate youth about the climate crisis even as the pandemic turns their lives upside down.

"This is a good opportunity to put out information that we think people should have access to," Thunberg told a webinar for young activists on Friday.

Thunberg held a rally for 4,000 protesters in Belgium two weeks ago, but Fridays for Future then moved its weekly school strikes online under the hashtag #ClimateStrikeOnline.

The group's German branch has since launched daily talks from politicians, scientists and campaigners, and is emailling officials to demand they stop backing fossil fuel projects.

Thunberg, 17, said she is looking forward to resuming her studies in August at the end of a year-long sabbatical.

"I actually enjoy it," she said. "I am a nerd."

(Reporting by Kate Abnett; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)