COP21: Rallies Call For Paris Climate Change Action

November 29, 2015

Demonstrations are taking place around the world to demand action to stop climate change, on the eve of the UN summit in Paris.

More than 2,000 events are happening, with tens of thousands beginning the day of protests in Sydney, Australia.

In the French capital, activists formed a "human chain" in a scaled-down rally following the recent attacks.

Activists want action to limit the rise in the average global temperature to 2C (3.6F) above pre-industrial levels.

In Paris, the human chain was formed by hundreds linking arms along the 3km (1.9 miles) route of a march that was called off after the 13 November attacks, in which 130 people died.

A gap in the chain was left in front of the Bataclan concert hall, where 89 people were killed.

Hundreds of pairs of shoes were left on Place de la Republique to remember those left frustrated in their plans to march.

Among them were a pair donated by Pope Francis, who has called for urgent action on climate change.

On Sunday afternoon, French police fired tear gas at a group of demonstrators close to the Place de la Republique.

Elsewhere in Europe, some 5,000 people turned out in Madrid, with close to double that in Berlin.

"We came from a village which is at zero metres above sea level and we don't want to see our entire possessions become part of the depreciation of climate change," one Berlin protester, Friedrich, told Reuters.

Thousands have gathered for a march in central London, where opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn addressed crowds.

(BBC)