On the eve of the Paris Climate Summit, over 570,000 people around the world took to the streets over the weekend for the record-breaking Global Climate March to urge leaders to scale up action on climate change to achieve 100% renewable energy, eliminate poverty and protect people from worsening climate impacts.
This number of 570,000 is still provisional and could rise further with big marches in Mexico City, Ottawa and Vancouver still to come in later today, which are likely to take the total count well over 600,000. These events came despite the Paris event, where 400,000 were expected to march today, being cancelled.
People joined in more than 2300 events across 175 countries. Coming from all walks of life, people from affected communities, development organisations, climate movements, the young and old, people of faith, indigenous people, trade unionists and many more marched together.
In Paris, 22,000 pairs of shoes – including that of Pope Francis and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, were placed at Place de la Republique, on behalf of the 400,000 people who were expected to have marched if possible. Afterwards, 10,000 people held hands in solidarity with frontline communities affected by climate change.
Safa’ Al Jayoussi , IndyACT Head of Climate & Energy Campaign said the marchers demonstrated that tackling climate change affects so many of life’s essentials, from equality and poverty, food and energy, to water, jobs, safety and human rights.
Safa’ al Jayoussi Head of Climate & Energy Campaigns at IndyACT , The marchers on the streets in Beirut and Cairo show that the Arabs do care about climate change and it is in their agenda as our region is also very vulnerable and we are already having extreme weather events. The mobilization is a call from our people for the leaders in COP21 to sign a binding agreement that is fair for all.
“This weekend hundreds and thousands of people called for urgent action to fight climate change. In Paris, governments must agree a robust, universal agreement which signals the end of fossil fuel emissions by 2050, the main cause of climate change. Climate change affects us all and decisions that they take now will affect generations to come.’’
Highlights of the Global Day of Action:
- Despite increased security and conflicts, activists and climate marchers still gathered to show their commitment towards climate action in the MENA! Check out these photos from Yemen, where organizers demanded solidarity in facing climate change, runners in Kuwaitwho participated in a marathon to raise awareness, and marchers gathered in Lebanon despite the rain to show their commitment.
- Records were broken in more than 10 countries which saw their biggest-ever climate marches with Australia (140,000, including 60,000 in Melbourne), India (140,000) New Zealand (33,000), Bangladesh, Britain (over 50,000 in London), Italy (over 20,000 in Rome), Spain (over 20,000 in Madrid), Denmark (over 10,000 in Copenhagen), Greece (over 3,000 in Athens), Switzerland (over 5,000 in Geneva), and Austria (over 2,000 in Vienna).
- Events took place in countries as diverse as Mongolia, Saudi Arabia and Samoa. A march took place in Sanaa, Yemen, despite bombs falling close to the start of the march; nuns marched in South Korea; there were powerful marches in the the Pacific islands — New Caledonia and the Marshall Islands. People marched in cities in Senegal, the Gambia, Cote d’Ivoire, and Nigeria; while in Kenya, there was a march across the Equator.
The UN Climate Summit in Paris (30 Nov-11 Dec) is an opportunity for over 190 countries to build a platform, which scales up the just transition away from fossil fuels to 100% renewable energy for all, and provides adequate support for those affected by climate impacts.
Climate change is already harming communities all around the world and a further one hundred million people could be forced into poverty if we do not rapidly scale up climate action.
We have the solutions to tackle the problem – frontline communities, cities and businesses are leading the way in harnessing the benefits of renewable energy and boosting the resilience of vulnerable communities. Now it is time for governments to listen to the people on the streets and step up.
A strong, diverse coalition of groups supporting climate action will be in Paris during the Climate Summit to continue to maintain pressure on governments to deliver an ambitious agreement.
