BRUSSELS - Thousands of students on Saturday skipped classes and braved the bad weather to join the Global Strike for Future Belgium.

More than 30,000 people of all ages gathered in the main streets of Brussels to protest against climate change, which aims to pressure Belgium to implement a new climate policy along European institutions ahead of the next summit on March 21 and 22.

The march began at 1:30 in the afternoon at Brussels North Station and ended at the climate village at South Station. Other cities namely Ghent, Bruges, Antwerp, and Leuven have also staged marches.

Previous similar demonstrations which were organized by Youth for Climate have successfully taken place in Brussels since January 10 this year.

The global action was inspired by a Swedish student, Greta Ernman Thunberg, who became prominent after staging the first school protest for climate outside the building of Swedish Parliament.

Thunberg skipped classes on Fridays stating that “the climate strike is the biggest lesson of all."

It was also Thunberg who inspired secondary students in Antwerp and in Brussels in organizing regular marches on Thursdays.

Students have asked all politicians to stop political gimmicks and should start acting now if they want to save the planet.

“Today we are already at 1.1 degrees and we cannot wait until the earth becomes even more warmer. What we want the government to do is to cut all 11 percent emissions, all the more economically developed countries, they have to cut 11 percent right now in order to reduce emissions," European school student Patricija Marjauskaite said.

The students insisted that it is very important to take actions while there is still time.

“We need the protests to keep happening around the world , a very pointed focus, with this number 11 percent so that politicians have no way of getting around ignoring these protests," said Jules Pye, another student.

Meanwhile, former beauty queen turned model, Pinay-Belgian Bernadette de Leener said everyone should take part in addressing the climate change problem even without joining the protest.

De Leener enumerated simple ways on how we can help address the climate change:

- Buy local,organic and seasonal food whenever possible
- Avoid products in non-recyclable containers
- Walk, cycle or use public transport instead of car
- Take train instead of plane for near holiday destinations
- Plant trees in your garden
- Try to use less water in the shower
- Refuse plastic bags when you shop, instead, take your own bag
- Buy less or only what is essential
- Use less electricity

She said it is important to remind people that climate change is in fact caused by human behavior and should be conscious about the fact that it will have a direct impact on us.