Worldwide rallies urge strong U.N. climate deal

[Joanne98]

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of climate activists staged a colorful rally in Copenhagen Saturday to urge negotiators at U.N. talks to agree a strong deal to fight global warming in a worldwide "Day of Action."


"Bla Bla Bla. Act now!," "There is no planet B," "Change the politics, not the climate," said banners waved by demonstrators in the Danish capital. Some activists dressed as polar bears, others as pandas -- with a flame rising from their heads.

Some held a giant balloon of an inflatable snowman, under threat of melting from a warming caused mainly by burning fossil fuels that the U.N. panel of climate scientists says will bring desertification, floods, heatwaves and rising seas.

Rallies were held around the world Saturday, hoping to influence delegates half-way through slow-moving 190-nation talks from December 7-18 in the Danish capital to work out a strong, legally binding U.N. deal to fight climate change.

Thousands of Australians held a "Walk Against Warming" and activists said demonstrations and candlelit vigils were planned from Fiji to the United States to show support for deep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions.

In Copenhagen, estimates of the number of people involved varied from a police estimate of 25,000 to a figure of 100,000 given by organizers, who hope the rallies will put pressure on a summit of 110 world leaders in Copenhagen on December 17-18.

Activists planned a 6 km (4 mile) march out of the city to the Bella Center where government negotiators from 190 nations are half-way through December 7-18 talks. Activists came from around the world.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSGEE5BB07F20091212