Climate protest in New York
Tens of thousands of people demand an end to fossil fuels
September 18, 2023, 12:17 p.m.
Climate activists accuse US President Biden of not doing enough to combat dependence on fossil fuels. Shortly before the United Nations General Assembly, tens of thousands of people took to the streets of New York to demand more climate protection.
Before the start of the United Nations General Assembly, tens of thousands of people took to the streets of New York to demand more climate protection and an end to fossil fuels. Supporters from around 700 activist organizations and groups took part in the protests. They held signs with slogans such as “Biden, end fossil fuels” and “I didn’t vote for fires and floods.” US President Joe Biden is among the leaders who will participate in the UN general debate which officially opens on Tuesday.
She was there “to call on the government to declare a climate emergency,” said Analilia Mejia, director of the activist group Center for Popular Democracy. “We must wake up and act immediately,” she added. The 46-year-old described recent extreme weather events in Canada, Hawaii, Greece and Libya as evidence of the “existential crisis” that climate change represents. Another participant said she invites politicians “to her house” in California to “spend the night next to an oil and gas well.”
Five major oil companies sued
California has sued five of the world’s largest oil companies, accusing them of causing billions of dollars in damages and “active misinformation” about the risks associated with fossil fuels. In a historic move, Biden allocated billions of dollars to green energy projects. But activists accuse him of not doing enough to move the United States away from its dependence on fossil fuels.
A climate summit will also take place on Wednesday at the UN General Assembly, at the initiative of UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
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