Global Climate Marches see over half a million call for urgent climate action

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. 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.

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. Support for scaling up climate action has never been higher, and world leaders cannot ignore these calls. Doing so would place them firmly on the wrong side of history.

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.

“The voices of people all around the world calling for climate action are echoing in the streets of Paris and must now ring in the ears of world leaders meeting at the summit tomorrow. Millions of people have shown they expect the best possible climate deal for the world's poorest people already hit hardest. For the future of us all, world leaders must aim high and deliver,” said Kelly Dent, climate change lead, Oxfam.