Some 75,000 protestors took to the streets of New York City today demanding an end to the era of fossil fuels ahead of the UN Climate Ambition Summit Wednesday. The event was just part of worldwide demonstrations this week where millions are expected to rally in response to their governments' failure to aggressively address global warming.
Over 700 organizations, led by march organizers at the Center for Biological Diversity, Center for Popular Democracy, Climate Organizing Hub, Food & Water Watch, Fridays For Future USA & NYC, Earthworks, Greenfaith, Indigenous Environmental Network, New York Communities for Change, Oil Change International and Oil & Gas Action Network, supported today’s mass action. In addition, over 100 federal elected leaders, actors, and renowned climate activists lent their support to the march. Additionally, 400 scientists and nearly 100 local elected officials in New York, Hawaii, and across the country sent letters to President Biden asking him to end fossil fuel expansion and declare a climate emergency.
At protests here in the United States, demonstrators called out Biden for approving new gas and oil projects and demanded he declare a climate emergency granting himself more potent presidential authority. Between now and 2050, the US fossil fuel companies are responsible for almost one-third of planned drilling worldwide. Additionally, despite the fact that China currently annually emits more carbon than the United States, the US is responsible for the greatest amount of atmospheric CO2.
“We hold the power of the people, the power you need to win this election,” 17-year-old Emma Buretta of Brooklyn and the youth protest group Fridays for Future said. “If you want to win in 2024, if you do not want the blood of my generation to be on your hands, end fossil fuels.”
On Wednesday, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres will host the Climate Ambition Summit in New York City. In an unprecedented move, Guterres is setting a standard for attending countries to present fossil fuel phaseout plans and commit to no new oil, gas, and coal. The White House said President Biden does not plan to attend the Climate Ambition Summit.