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29 Nov 2015

Climate march: call for action ahead of COP21 summit

Tens of thousands of people marched through London calling for ambitious action to tackle climate change.

Tens of thousands of people have gathered in central London for a march to demand that global leaders take urgent action to tackle climate change.

Environmental campaigners and charity leaders were joined by celebrities including actresses Emma Thompson and Vanessa Redgrave, singer Charlotte Church and fashion designer Vivienne Westwood as they called on politicians to agree on an ambitious new climate agreement.

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% renewable energy.

Almost 2,500 events are taking place around this weekend, with London’s expected to be the biggest.

An event planned in Paris was cancelled following the terror attacks two weeks ago, and campaigners instead placed thousands of pairs of shoes in the city’s Place de la Republique – including a pair from the Pope – as a symbolic march.

Some protesters clashed with police in Paris as a ban on demonstrations remains in place.

Senior officials from almost 200 countries are due to meet in Paris from November 30 to December 11 to agree on a global deal to cut greenhouse gas emissions and tackle climate change.

More than 80 world leaders are due to attend the opening, to give the talks political impetus. They hope to build on various national plans to limit greenhouse gas emissions beyond 2020.

In the second week, ministers will arrive to hammer out anticipated sticking points, such as finance and a mechanism for addressing "loss and damage" from climate change, such as displacement due to rising seas.

Experts believe that the last failed attempt to reach a climate deal in Copenhagen in 2009 means most countries – rich and poor – have suffered some tragedy or harm from extreme weather, which will hopefully boost the political drive in Paris.

The French capital will also be the setting for thousands of ordinary people marching to demand greater action on climate change, as well as hundreds of businesses, non-governmental groups and city officials showcasing their efforts to slow global warming and deal with its impact around the world.

Whatever is agreed at the Paris conference, the six-year process leading up to it has resulted in 155 governments submitting national climate action plans for the coming decades – including 114 developing countries.