Activists held up signs such as these in a climate change march in Copenhagen in December of 2009. Then and now, climate change activists believe that capitalism is only worsening the environment, and that it no longer "serves people," as one of the activists from the recent march in New York said.
An estimated 300,000 people marched on the streets of New York City in what was called “The People’s Climate March” on Sunday, to make a call to politicians and international leaders to take steps toward reversing the climate change that has been happening worldwide.
Several well-known public figures joined the march, such as U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon; Leonardo DiCaprio, who recently was appointed as the U.N. Messenger for Peace with a focus on climate change; and former U.S. Vice President Al Gore.
“What do we want? Justice! When do we want it? Now!” chanted the marchers.
“Cut your emissions or you’ll sleep with the fishes,” one of the signs read.
The purpose of the march is to “make the very loud point that climate change is a true emergency for humanity, the kind of threat that should cause us to stop what we are doing and get out of harm’s way,” according to journalist Naomi Klein from the Guardian in her recent opinion piece.
“Only when we urgently acknowledge that we are facing a genuine crisis will it become possible to enact the kinds of bold policies and mobilize the economic resources we need,” she continued. “Only then will the world have a chance to avert catastrophic warming.”
The march is the first event of many planned during this “Climate Week.” On the 23rd, the U.N. is planning to hold a summit regarding global warming and climate change, during which 125 nations will be represented. According to USA Today, such a summit specifically organized to discuss climate change is the first in five years.
Climate change activists will be holding a sit-in protest today in Wall Street, during which they plan to block the steps of the New York Stock Exchange, risking even arrest to raise their voices about the issue.
“I think arrests in particular are a very good way of conveying the gravity of an issue,” Jenna DeBoisblanc, an activist from New Orleans, told the Associated Press. “If you’re willing to risk arrest it certainly demonstrates that it’s something very urgent.”
Kai Sanburn, a participant of the march on Sunday, told Reuters similar sentiments. “The action here against Wall Street is really expressive of the feeling that corporations and capitalism no longer serve people,” she said.
CNN reported that rallies on climate change also took place in London, Berlin, Bogota, Paris, and Tokyo.
