Climate Change March Joins World Wide Movement
By Suzy Hamilton
Dubbed the “People’s Climate March”, more than 250 Nelson and area residents joined the world in calling for action in Canada on climate change initiatives Sunday afternoon.
It was one of 2,000 events taking place in 150 countries around the world ahead of a United Nations climate summit next week in New York city.
The march in New York more than 100,000 people, including UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who participated in the Big Apple walk.
At Nelson’s event, speakers and musicians echoed the words heard round the world, “We have the power to turn this around.”
Presented by the West Kootenay EcoSociety, Kootenays for a Pipeline-Free BC, Nelson Chapter Citizens Climate Lobby, Nelson United Church, Council of Canadians Nelson Chapter and Kootenay Positive Action Team, the rally offered networking tools, environmental news, inspiration and a call to action.
The rally began at Nelson City Hall at 4:30 p.m. for speeches followed by a march down Baker Street to the Nelson United Church who hosted a potluck dinner.
“We are happy to be a part of the community coming together,” United Church pastor David Boyd told the marchers as he welcomed them to the church hall for dinner.
Following the dinner, the documentary film “Disruption” updated the crowd on citizens’ attempts to bring about positive change to deal with and adapt to global warming and the destruction the world is already witnessing.
The UN meeting in New York city Tuesday sets the stage for a crucial conference in Paris in December 2015 aimed at finalizing a new global climate change pact.
However, there’s widespread skepticism about the what can be accomplished at the summit, due in part, to two of the world’s leading greenhouse emitters — China and India — not attending the event.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has also opted-out of the one-day summit, although the PM plans to attend a separate dinner with Secretary-General Ban and other leaders to discuss climate issues while he’s in New York.
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