Thousands of students worldwide skip school in 'strike' against climate change

Thousands of students in more than 1,000 cities around the world are skipping school in protest against their governments' failure to act on global warming.

The coordinated 'school strike' was inspired by 16-year-old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, who began holding solitary demonstrations outside the Swedish parliament last year.

Since then, the protests have snowballed and Friday's global rallies are thought to make up one of the biggest ever coordinated international actions against climate change.

Ms Thunberg's protest in Sweden sparked a chain reaction around the world, with thousands of schoolchildren following her lead in February and skipping school, in protests that drew both admiration and criticism.

Friday's protests are taking place in about 100 countries, from New Zealand to the United States.

Scientists have backed the protests, with thousands signing petitions in support of the students in Britain, Finland and Germany.

Here are the some of the best photographs from the worldwide protests:

The protest against global warming also took place in metropolitan Manila, Philippines Credit: AP
Students from different institutions held banners in New Delhi, India. Credit: AP
French high school students demonstrated outside the Pantheon monument in Paris. Credit: AP
The protest also made its way to Hong Kong. Credit: AP
They held placards denouncing what they perceived as their government's denial of climate change. Credit: AP
Young kids in England went to Parliament Square, London. Credit: PA
Polish school students joined the global school protest in Warsaw. Credit: AP
Schoolchildren in Scotland took to the area outside the Scottish Parliament building in Edinburgh. Credit: PA
Students in Canterbury, Kent also took part. Credit: PA
The young people of Lund, Sweden took to the streets as part of the global protest. Credit: AP
Some children in Seoul, South Korea, took aim at CO2 pollution. Credit: AP
Hong Kong protesters take to the streets. Credit: AP
Indian students held placards in Hyderabad. Credit: AP
Students gathered in front of the ancient Colosseum in Rome, Italy. Credit: AP
Students also gathered in front of the monument of the Unknown Soldier to demand action on climate change, in Rome, Italy. Credit: AP
Students in Cape Town, South Africa took part in the protest. Credit: AP
Paris, France. Credit: AP
Some students in England protested at Parliament Square, London. Credit: PA
British students protest outside the Queen Victoria Memorial. Credit: PA