Climate March

Melbourne Climate March | James Thomas

Marching On

Thousands will march in Canada to prompt Canadian government to commit to clean energy

The recent attacks in Paris led French President Francois Hollande to bar all protests in the city surrounding the UN climate talks, including the Global Climate March, which expected to have 500,000 attendees. The cancelling of the march in Paris has not stopped demonstrations in other countries from attracting thousands.

The recent attacks in Paris led French President Francois Hollande to bar all protests in the city surrounding the UN climate talks, including the Global Climate March, which expected to have 500,000 attendees. The cancelling of the march in Paris has not stopped demonstrations in other countries from attracting thousands.

“Not only are they still going ahead, marches like the ones in Ottawa and Vancouver are more important now than before the march in Paris was cancelled,” said Cam Fenton of 350.org, who is involved in organizing Ottawa’s 100% Possible march November 29 and Vancouver’s Global Climate March.

Over 2,000 marches are planned for the weekend of November 28 and 29 all around the world, beginning in Melbourne, Australia where organizers say 60,000 people attended. Organizers of the Ottawa march are expecting nearly 10,000 to attend. Vancouver march organizers are expecting 5,000.

In Paris and around the world, those who cannot march are asking others to take their place. #March4Me is connecting those who cannot march with those who can, they have connected over 24,000 people so far. 

The marches are intended to motivate governments to commit to 100 percent clean energy use and have that goal in mind during COP21 negotiations. 

Early this week, Prime Minister Trudeau, who is now in Paris for the climate talks, pledged $2.65-billion over five years to a UN climate fund but environment minister Catherine McKenna has said not to expect Canada to commit to a new INDC during COP. 

Megan is A\J’s editorial manager, a lover of journalism, and graduate of the University of Waterloo’s Faculty of Environment.