With much of the country ground to a halt by snow and ice, coupled with the low expectations of the climate talks in Cancun, the 2010 march for a zero carbon Britain was a much more low key affair compared to last years impressive rally. Over 1,000 protestors gathered near Marble Arch at Hyde Park and posed together to make a large 2030 which was photographed from an aerial platform hoisted on a crane. See the result here on the Campaign Against Climate Change website. Bristol Greenpeace was ably represented by Fi, Mark and Richard who marched with good spirit.
Next, everyone took the message to parliament with many placards and banners twinning the 'zero carbon by 2030' message with one calling for 'a million climate jobs'. Marching off via Park Lane, Piccadilly, Lower Regent Street, Trafalgar Square and Whitehall to finally hear the sound of 'Seize the Day' playing at the end of Abingdon street, right in the shadow of the Southern tower of the Houses of Parliament.
Speakers included, amongst others, Caroline Lucas MP (Britain's first Green MP and leader of the Green Party), Michael Meacher MP (veteran environmental champion in the Labour Party), and John McDonnell (Labour MP for Hayes and Harlington who thanked the climate movement for help him in his battle against the devastation that would have been caused by a third Heathrow runway ) One message that seemed to be echoed was that the elected politicians seem incapable of doing anything about the threat of climate change and there was now a greater need for direct action by the people who cared rather than continue year after year with protest marches and petitions! Action is needed NOW as the window of opportunity to make a difference to climate change is rapidly running out!
YouTube clips of the speakers can be found below. Recommend that you listen to what Caroline Lucas has to say - she makes a forceful argument for more creative non-violent direct action.
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