Protesters push leaders to avert climate catastrophe

Masses of people joined a worldwide wave of marches on Saturday demanding leaders craft a pact to avert a climate catastrophe when they gather in a still-shaken Paris. From Australia to New Zealand, the Philippines, Bangladesh and Japan, people rallied at the start of a weekend of popular protests pleading for world powers to overcome the logjams when the UN climate summit officially opens in the French capital Monday. On the eve of Saturday’s protests, French President Francois Hollande, host of the November 30-December 11 talks, warned of the obstacles ahead.

Man is the worst enemy of man. We can see it with terrorism, but we can say the same when it comes to climate. Human beings are destroying nature, damaging the environment. It is therefore for human beings to face up to their responsibilities for the good of future generations.

French President Francois Hollande

Some 150 leaders, including US President Barack Obama, China’s Xi Jinping, India’s Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin, will attend the start of the Paris conference, which is tasked with reaching the first truly universal climate pact. Potential stumbling blocks in Paris abound, ranging from financing for climate-vulnerable countries to scrutiny of commitments to curb greenhouse gases and even the legal status of the accord. Protest organizers say they expect hundreds of thousands to take to the streets globally this weekend, with rallies planned for Sunday in Seoul, Rio de Janeiro, New York, Kiev and Mexico City.

Politics climate change