After several rounds of student climate strikes, advocates say it is now the adults’ turn.

The global strike for climate movement is encouraging workers to down tools on September 20.

Some corporations say they support their workers taking time off, with clothing company Patagonia going as far as to promise they will pay the bail for employees arrested for non-violent environmental activism.

Many major employers in Australia claim to be serious about addressing climate change and reducing emissions, but none yet have backed the strike on September 20.

Ian Dunlop - formerly the chair of the Australian Coal Association, now a climate activist – says Australian businesses do not appear interested in backing up their public statements on climate change.

“The reality is, if you look at the agreements that were made in Paris, if we just implement them, we will end up with the world which has temperature increases of 3.5℃” he said.

“That, in the eyes of some of the major national security organisations around the world, is a world which is complete social chaos.

“We're already seeing the investment groups, particularly the superannuation funds with long-term horizons, are recognising that this is a threat which is going to be far greater than the global financial crisis in 2008.

“In addition you have the regulators — ASIC, the RBA, APRA — all now following the lead of the Bank of England, Mark Carney and the financial security board with his task force on risk exposure.

“All of the pressure is coming on and saying we have a risk here, it is not just a figment of somebody's imagination and this is happening, it will not go away.”