There have been some massive international demonstrations for people wanting more concerted action to counter climate change. The demonstrations have focused on New York, where the UN is about to hold a UN summit on the issue.
People marched in Auckland on Sunday:
Organisers have said as many as 600,000 people turned out to thousands of events in the US, Latin America, Europe, India and Australia, including up to 310,000 in New York and up to 30,000 in Melbourne.
The People’s Climate March – co-ordinated by international campaign organisation Avaaz – was timed to coincide with the UN Climate Summit in New York.
The summit, hosted by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday and expected to attract over 100 world leaders, is an attempt to build momentum before the next major round of climate change negotiations in Paris in December 2015.
Al Jazeera’s latest edition of Inside Story focuses on the demonstrations, and their significance:
More than 120 world leaders will attend that meeting on Tuesday in New York. They will discuss ways to address issues relating to the environment and develop a new strategy that will lead to a consenus for a possible treaty – to be signed in Paris next year.
Organisers say some 570,000 people took part in the rallies in 161 countries; far more exceeding the number of those who demonstated for climate action in Copenhagen in 2009.
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced last week that the months of June, July, and August were the hottest on record. And that 2014 is on course to break the record for the hottest year, which was set in 2010.
The programme features guests,
Anne Lassman-Trappier – an environmental campaigner.
Asad Rehman – senior campaigner with Friends of the Earth.
Michael Jacobs – a senior advisor to the New Climate Economy. He is also director of Strategy for the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate.
The problems brought about by climate change are now so pressing, people are no longer saying that we need to do something now to ensure a sustainable and livable environment for future generations. it is something impacting on all our futures.
A load of people whose homes and communities are already threatened by climate change travelled long distances to get to the demonstrations. Many are from low lying coastal communities.
Bill’s recent post gives some background to climate change and the struggle to counter it.
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