On September 17, the start of climate week, about 75,000 people marched down Midtown,
Manhattan, to stop fossil fuels. They continued until Monday, when the New York Police
Department arrested 114 people for blocking the entrance to a Federal Reserve building. The
protests were aimed at president Joe Biden and government leaders to stop approving gas and
oil projects. This protest was organized by Climate Group, who have over 500 protests planned
across the world in 54 countries, including the U.S, Germany, India, England, and South Korea.
They have an estimate of one million people going in total.
Manhattan, to stop fossil fuels. They continued until Monday, when the New York Police
Department arrested 114 people for blocking the entrance to a Federal Reserve building. The
protests were aimed at president Joe Biden and government leaders to stop approving gas and
oil projects. This protest was organized by Climate Group, who have over 500 protests planned
across the world in 54 countries, including the U.S, Germany, India, England, and South Korea.
They have an estimate of one million people going in total.
This summer has been the hottest summer on record; this year is the second
hottest year behind 2016. August was 2.7 degrees fahrenheit warmer than average, and 70%
of the earth’s surface was the hottest ever recorded at 69.8 degrees fahrenheit. The protesters
felt sad, angry, and unheard. Scientists believe that the hurricanes, heatwaves, floods,
wildfires, and droughts are being caused by burning fossil fuels.
Protesters say that they felt unheard, frustrated, and let down, since many of them had
supported Biden in 2020 when he said he would stop permitting new drilling on federal lands
and waters, but it’s hard to do that, legally. Actors Susan Sarandon, Ethan Hawke, Edward
Norton, Kyra Sedgewick, Kevin Bacon, and politician Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez were at
the protest. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says, “We have people all across the world in
streets, showing up, demanding a cessation of what is killing us. We have to send a message
that some of us are going to be living on, on this planet 30, 40, 50 years from now. And we will
not take no for an answer.”
The protests are going on the same week as the U.N. General Assembly, where
diplomats and heads of states talk about climate negotiations; but many of the leaders of the
countries that cause the most carbon pollution aren’t going, and they aren’t going to the summit.
It usually leads to announcements from countries and companies. The people going are
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, white house climate deputies,
special climate envoy John F. Kerry, senior advisor John Podesta, and national climate designer
Ali Zaidi. Maryland and California have filed a lawsuit against the world’s largest oil and gas
companies for damages.
Climate week is more of a platform for countries to lay the groundwork for
announcements, getmore support, and spread awareness of fossil fuels. The announcements
are announced at the upcoming COP28 U.N conference later this year in the United Arab
Emirates, and are expected to help climate change by reducing greenhouse
gas emissions, improving energy sources, and adding sustainability. These announcements can
change and contribute to stopping climate change.
