Hyde Park on Sunday calling for action on the eve of the United Nations climate summit in Paris.
Many were dressed in animal costumes — from bumblebees to cows, from polar bears to exotic fish — while others brandished placards reading: “There is no planet B”, “Our Children Need a Future” and “We Want 100 percent Clean Energy” in scenes replicated across the world.
At the London event, Oscar-winners and multi-million selling musicians rubbed shoulders with protesters from the Pacific islands to Scandinavia. “This is very personal to me. This is to do with my land. This is to do with our people,” said 37-year-old Mikaele Maiava from the Tokelau Islands, a territory of New Zealand threatened by rising waters.
Fashion designer Vivienne Westwood was also on the march from Hyde Park to the British parliament as leaders from 150 countries prepare to meet in Paris to hammer out a plan to cut emissions.
Actress Emma Thompson, who has campaigned against oil drilling in the Arctic, said she had seen the effects of climate change during a visit there last year. “It helped me understand in a much more visceral, real way what was happening to the planet,” the actress told AFP.
“So I’m here today to really get behind the climate summit in Paris which is actually a really historical event.Rocker Peter Gabriel, founder of the band Genesis, said climate change was “a serious threat” and said any pact negotiated in Paris should have a “real means of enforcing the talk, which I’m sure will be in abundance.”
“Politicians want to get re-elected. If there’s enough of us, and this is happening all over the world, then they will respond,” he said.The people-powered protests kicked off with marches across Australia, with 45,000 gathering in Sydney.
“There’s nothing more important that I can be doing at the moment than addressing climate change,” said Kate Charlesworth, a doctor and Sydney mother.In Copenhagen, some 5,000 people marched to parliament. Four of the protestors were dressed as polar bears to promote a sculpture they will bring to Paris during the climate summit, depicting a dead polar bear covered in oil.
In Stockholm, around 4,000 people marched under grey skies, while in the Finnish capital Helsinki organisers reported a turnout of between 1,500 and 2,000 people.Further south in Spain, some 20,000 marched in the Spanish capital, the biggest climate march in Madrid’s history, Greenpeace said.
Activists formed human chains in Paris and Brussels, the latter made up of around 4,000 people.“I hope that this chain shakes all the politicians in Europe and the rest of the world to forge a deep and sincere deal,” said protester Stephane Eelens.
In Berlin, around 15,000 marched from the central train station to the Brandenburg Gate, where a stage had been set up decorated with a globe clouded in black smoke.Around 1,000 people joined a march in Athens from the Acropolis to the parliament, carrying banners reading “Solarise Greece” or “Go renewable”.
A group of 20 children led 10,000 people in Madrid, many holding green balloons and green hearts with messages that read “The Earth is Your Home” and “Help Me Be Happy”.“We’ve got marches happening all around the world — from Ouagadougou to London here to Nepal,” said Sam Barratt, campaign director for Avaaz.
Riyadh announced on August 15, 2021 that it had withdrawn its diplomats from Afghan capital
South Africa had their target reduced by one run to 308 via Duckworth–Lewis–Stern method
Putin was addressing local leader of Tatarstan region where Kazan is located in road-opening ceremony
India is home to more than 220 million child brides, according to United Nations
Shah noted appointment of dedicated Ombudsperson to safeguard rights and interests of working women in Sindh
Students under age of 22 with domicile of Punjab will be eligible for Honhar Scholarship