By Jessica Corbett | Common Dreams
Building on actions that kicked off earlier this week, activists on Saturday hosted hundreds of #RiseForClimate demonstrations across all seven continents, drawing massive crowds “to demand our local leaders commit to building a fossil-free world that puts people and justice before profits.”
As of this writing there were more than 900 actions in 95 countries, according to the searchable database that enables those interested to locate protests in their area.
The main event was the Rise for Climate, Jobs, and Justice march in San Francisco, California, which brought together some 30,000 people and is being hailed as the West Coast's largest climate march ever.
San Francisco right now. This is a huge march (and it's just one of nearly 1,000 worldwide).
It turns out there are a whole lot of people—a majority, even!—who think our elected leaders should be doing more to fight the climate crisis.
RT if you're with us. #RiseforClimate pic.twitter.com/EiEvfHwLW2
— 350 dot org (@350) September 8, 2018
The San Francisco march began “with a moment of silence solidarity with those at the frontlines of the climate crisis, and who have already suffered from its impacts,” according to 350.org, but then took on a more energized tone as participants marched and sang, “The people gonna rise like the water, we gonna calm this crisis down. I hear the voice of my great granddaughter, singing keep it in the ground!”
"The people gonna rise like the water, we gonna calm this crisis down. I hear the voice of my great granddaughter, singing #keepitintheground!"
Chills.#RiseForClimate pic.twitter.com/QR8PLVymlL
— 350 dot org (@350) September 8, 2018
“Nothing marks a defining moment like thousands of people from every corner of the globe moving in unity and asking with one voice all governments to go 100 percent renewable energy,” noted Wael Hmaidan, executive director of Climate Action Network International.
“The only acceptable response by leaders,” Hmaidan said, “would be higher ambition and stronger commitments for an energy transformation that will eradicate poverty, created jobs and secured health, and prosperity in their countries.”
Capturing the determined spirit of the actions, Paul Getsos, national director of Peoples Climate Movement, added, “We won't stop until we've won a 100 percent clean and renewable energy economy that protects our planet, livelihoods, and democracy.”
From Paris, France to Africa, Australia, and Antarctica, participants and supporters shared photos and videos of the actions with the hashtag #RiseForClimate:
Event better footage from #Paris – this crowd is MASSIVE. #MarchePourLaPlanete #MarchepourLeClimat #RiseForClimate pic.twitter.com/LJ7LeZKLN2
— CREDO Mobile (@CREDOMobile) September 8, 2018
After a successful Climate Summit Yesterday in Abuja Nigeria to #RiseForClimate Today we rolled out on the street @350Africa @350 @ninteretse @GlenTyler @Rukiya_Khamis pic.twitter.com/q3RbtN3nEY
— Dr Mike Terungwa David #Vote4Climate #Agroecology (@miketerungwa) September 8, 2018
THANK YOU to everyone across Australia who came together to #RiseForClimate! More than 5000 people showed up to over 50 actions around the country and stepped up to call for climate action! ✊☀️ #climatechange #climateaction pic.twitter.com/jxZMMSRZJ8
— 350Australia (@350Australia) September 8, 2018
So they're #RisingforClimate in the Antarctic–hello Concordia Station! #flickr https://t.co/Oufc8dqnvV
— Bill McKibben (@billmckibben) September 8, 2018
Many of the events on Saturday were family affairs, with children and even dogs joining the marches and rallies:
Artist Lesley Lopez and son, her mural at #RiseforClimate: a pregnant woman in center holding life w/ the image of the sun ☀️ “fighting for the land for the future.” pic.twitter.com/PR3b1qLe0z
— Antonia Juhasz (@AntoniaJuhasz) September 8, 2018
Today my son joined the #RiseForClimate march with me and many others from my community. Every child like Kunzin deserves a life free of air pollution, a life that is not threatened by rising seas and a land that is not affected by climate change: Phuntsok Yangchen. pic.twitter.com/y7ys3zPZR3
— 350 Bangladesh (@350_bangladesh) September 8, 2018
The other side of the yellow dog's sign says "I don't want to be a hot dog" 😭
Very Excellent Dogs marching to save the planet, 13/10 deserve pats for justice #RiseForClimate pic.twitter.com/cn7HdDtV4j
— Devyn Powell (@DevynFromOregon) September 8, 2018
Youth organizers, including members of the Sunrise movement and Zero Hour, also planned actions worldwide:
The #RiseForClimate Jobs & Justice march is officially underway! This is the largest climate mobilization in West Coast history, and one of 900+ around the world.
Follow along with us for live updates from the student and youth contingent and use the hashtag #YouthRiseUp! pic.twitter.com/AT64TGNRvJ
— Sunrise Bay Area 🌅 (@sunrisebayarea) September 8, 2018
Led by Nepalese Youth for Climate Action @NYCAnepal, citizens in Kathmandu joined the 2nd day of mobilization for #RiseForClimate. A bicycle rally joined the marchers to raise the demand for a bicycle-friendly infrastructure in Kathmandu city. pic.twitter.com/9w9nT5JtDj
— 350 Bangladesh (@350_bangladesh) September 8, 2018
And now, WE MARCH! Check out our instagram story for more! We are marching for Generation Z and those on the frontlines! #thisiszerohour #riseforclimate pic.twitter.com/BUq43lJKQ3
— Zero Hour (@ThisIsZeroHour) September 8, 2018
Sunrise co-founder Varshini Prakash said Thursday that the youth movement “is transforming young people's outrage at witnessing a lifetime of inaction on climate change into grassroots political power and making clear to our leaders: take bold action to stop this crisis, our generation demands it, and will not settle for anything less.”
The #RiseForClimate events come ahead of the Global Climate Action Summit that California Gov. Jerry Brown, a Democrat, will host in San Francisco next week. Brown is under pressure from constituents, local activists, other elected leaders in his state, and now, protesters around the world, to live up to his stated commitment to climate action by implementing bold policies that the global crisis requires.
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