50,000 take part London Climate March – with a highly visible “No Runway” bloc
On the day before the start of the COP21 climate talks in Paris, there were some 2,500 climate marches and events around the world. Unfortunately, the Paris authorities did not allow a march, due to security concerns. However, in London about 50,000 people braved gales and rain as they marched through London to Whitehall to demand that world leaders take urgent action. It was the biggest demonstration of its kind the UK has ever seen. There was a determined aviation bloc – marching with the “No 3rd Runway” fabric plane. Braving gusts of wind of around 40mph, those opposing a Heathrow runway put in a highly visible presence, even if the chants of “No Ifs. No Buts. No 3rd Runway” sometimes got drowned out by the Hari Krishna music system in the same part of the march. Caroline Lucas briefly helped carry the “No New Runways” banner, and so did John McDonnell. Addressing the crowds alongside a host of other speakers, Jeremy Corbyn said: “The issues facing the world in Paris this week are pollution, climate change, inequality, environmental refugees, war refugees and resources wars. If we are to make a real difference in Paris, all these issues have got to be thought about and addressed.” International aviation and shipping are not getting proper carbon emissions reduction targets in the Paris negotiations.
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29th November 2015
Caroline Lucas MP helps carry the banner.
John McDonnell, Shadow Chancellor and MP for Hayes & Harlington, helped carry the banner in Whitehall
World leaders from more than 50 countries are meeting in Paris for United Nations’ talks to secure strong deals to curb rising temperatures and shift the world to 100 per cent renewable energy.
50,000 marched – perhaps the biggest ever London climate event
Finally at the end of the march, having survived the gales, in front of Parliament
The march in the capital was one of 80 in the UK and almost 2,500 around the world as demonstrators issued a rallying call for action to combat global warming.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn also attended and told the crowds gathered in central London for a march against climate change that they had a message for the politicians gathering in Paris for talks next week – ‘Do what you are sent there to do.’
Dame Vivienne Westwood stressed the devastating impact of global warming while Jeremy Corbyn also urged politicians to act now.
Oscar-winner Emma Thompson called on world leaders to grab the ‘historic’ opportunity to reach a deal on tackling climate change as she joined thousands of environmental protesters in London on Sunday.
Thousands of people set out on a march through the capital from Hyde Park to Whitehall in an effort to persuade world leaders to reach agreements on global warming.
A march in Paris that was called off after the terror attacks two weeks ago was carried out symbolically when thousands of pairs of shoes were placed in the Place de la Republique, including pairs from the Pope and United Nations secretary general Ban Ki-moon.
Link to Daily Mail story, with lots of good photos
In London Sunday, just one day before the Paris Climate Conference begins on November 30th. Thousands of protesters demanding that world leaders enforce stricter climate-protecting guidelines have already lined the streets of Paris, and similar marches were orchestrated Sunday in cities like Madrid, Rome and the British capital, where an estimated 50,000 people, including the Radiohead singer, gathered ahead of COP21.
Paris conference asking for “an ambitious commitment to climate action, starting now, that will limit future global warming to below 2.0°C (3.6 °F) relative to pre-industrial levels,” among other recommended efforts to prevent further exacerbating climate change.
“We are deeply concerned that our global economic and industrial systems are accelerating rates of extinction, desertification and soil depletion, degrading ecosystems, acidifying and littering our rivers and oceans, and resulting in a relentless rise in greenhouse gas emissions driving irreversible climate change,” the petition stated. “In short, we are overwhelming the planet’s life support systems.”