UNITED STATES. Manhattan: “Climate Week” commenced with thousands of demonstrators flooding the streets of Midtown, Manhattan, just ahead of the U.N. General Assembly calling upon President Joe Biden and global leaders to put an end to the consumption of fossil fuels.
With concerts, parades, and the rhythmic beat of drums among the 15,000 demonstrators, they waved placards bearing messages such as “End Fossil Fuel Use,” “Fossil Fuels Kill,” and “Declare a Climate Emergency.”
Notably, one individual was dressed as a melting snowman, symbolising the threat of rising sea levels. The overarching message conveyed to world leaders was a plea to safeguard the planet by curbing the use of oil and gas, which is believed to contribute to global warming.
The protests on Sunday marked the beginning of a week-long global initiative led by the Climate Group, a non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting climate change action and combating global warming, with over 500 planned protests across 54 countries, including the United States, Germany, England, South Korea, India, and various other locations.
The organisers anticipate that these protests will draw over a million participants worldwide.
“Climate Week NYC is all about getting it done. Through celebrating climate action, challenging ourselves to do more, and exploring ways to increase ambition, Climate Week NYC inspires, amplifies, and scrutinises the commitments, policies, and actions of those with the power to make change happen,” organisers wrote online.
Many scientists believe that the emission of greenhouse gases resulting from the combustion of fossil fuels is responsible for the global warming phenomenon and the consequential severe weather events, including intensified hurricanes, heatwaves, floods, wildfires, and droughts.
The reduction of CO2 or carbon dioxide emissions is regarded as a pivotal component in mitigating climate change.
These protests occur two months ahead of this year’s U.N. COP28 climate summit, during which over 80 nations are set to advocate for a worldwide accord aimed at progressively phasing out the use of coal, oil, and gas.
A recent report from the U.N. cautioned that the world is heading down a perilous path towards significant global warming, stressing the urgency of taking comprehensive measures on multiple fronts, including a substantial reduction in the utilisation of coal for power generation by the year 2030, as reported by the media.
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