On a day of changing climates about 250 students marched to highlight climate change at Rotorua's Village Green today.

The march was preceded by several short speeches.

Kaya Sparke, a young district councillor candidate who operates a vegan business says she wants government to make better decisions.

Under teary skies and weather which alternated as three of the four seasons speakers addressed climate change issues.

Senior students representing local high schools each spoke three minutes of why the young as people stood to march for climate change.

The young today had the power to outdo the stares of an older generation.

"Our Mother Earth is crying for the state it is in," one speaker, Geraldine says.

Empathy was the word of the day.

Two students complimented the Rotorua Lakes Council for adopting a strategy "but it is not enough!"

Climate change solutions should mitigate the crisis before it is too late, they said.

"You should be acting as if your house is on fire - because it is."

Jamal says he was in Christchurch recently where scientists approached him for his view as he was a Pacific Islander.

He told them the seas were going to rise.

But what could the older generation do to handle climate change?

The answer was to leave it to "our youth".

Jess from Western Heights High School noted people from all walks of life attended today.

She has cut down on meat consumption and took a bus everywhere but says she is but one voice.

"We are stealing the richness of our birth from our children," she says. We need to band together to change others' perspectives," Jess told the assembly.

Jess and Caitlin Lamb say they are telling government to make change.

They gave examples of how contributions can be made to subdue of overcome evidence of a deteriorating climate.

"Let's join together so we can plan our planet's future," they say.

The marchers left the Village green, headed to the Government Gardens then to Sulphur Point to plant trees.