Marches for climate justice draw over 570,000 people so far

Global civic organization Avaaz on Monday said over 570,000 people from 175 countries have marched for calls to climate justice and the number is expected to increase as more climate marches will still be staged coinciding with the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) in Paris.

The March, according to Avaaz, is the biggest set of global marches in history. It is expected to have twice the number of marches held last year.

“The charge from the streets for leaders to act on climate has been deafening, with record numbers turning out across the world. Over 570,000 people are calling with one voice for global leaders to deliver a 100% clean energy future at the Paris climate summit. Despite events being cancelled across France, global actions were larger than last year’s massive march in New York, breaking records in Bangladesh, Australia, Britain and more,” Emma Ruby-Sachs, Avaaz Campaign Director said.

The 570,000 is still provisional and could rise further with big marches in Mexico City, Ottawa and Vancouver still to take place, which are likely to take the total count well over 600,000, said Avaaz.

These events, according to Avaaz, came despite the Paris event having been cancelled due to the terror attacks. Around 400,000 were expected to join that march. In lieu of the event, Avaaz laid out 22,000 shoes donated by citizens unable to take to the streets in the French capital.

In the Philippines, environmental groups held the climate march in Quezon City.

Among the personalities who attended the event were actor and National Youth Commissioner Dingdong Dantes, artist Noel Cabangon, running priest Fr. Robert Reyes and senatorial aspirant Lorna Kapunan.

Fr. Edwin Gariguez. Secretary General of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines’ National Secretariat for Social Action (CBCP-Nassa), said climate justice is part of the teachings of the Church. Citing Pope Francis, he said, “The cry of the earth is the cry of the poor.”

Aside from the Philippines, climate marches were also held in Australia with 140,000 participants including 60,000 in Melbourne, New Zealand (33,000), Britain (over 50,000 in London), Italy (over 20,000 in Rome), Spain (over 20,000 in Madrid), Denmark (over 10,000 in Copenhagen), Greece (over 3,000 in Athens), Switzerland (over 5,000 in Geneva), and Austria (over 2,000 in Vienna).

Organizers also estimated that at least 130,000 additional people marched in over 1,000 other events taking place in smaller cities, towns, and villages around the world.

A march took place in Sanaa, Yemen, despite bombs falling close to the start of the march; dozens of towns and cities marched across India; nuns marched in South Korea; there were powerful marches in the Pacific islands — New Caledonia and the Marshall Islands; people marched in cities in Senegal, the Gambia, Cote d’Ivoire, and Nigeria; and in Kenya across the Equator.