A huge march through Paris on the eve of international climate talks in the French capital will not go ahead following Friday’s terror attacks.
The organisers of the march, which had been expected to draw as many as several hundred thousand people on Sunday November 29 calling for strong action on climate change, had hoped to go ahead with the demonstration despite the attacks.
But in the wake of the killings in Paris, French authorities have told the coalition of campaigners it cannot proceed.
Planned action at the end of the two weeks of talks, at which governments aim to agree a new global treaty on tackling climate change, has also been stopped.
The organisers urged people in other cities and countries where events are also planned for Sunday November 29, the day before the climate talks begin, to march on behalf of those who cannot in Paris.
Emma Ruby-Sachs, deputy director of campaign group Avaaz, said: “The police have just informed us that the tragic attacks in Paris have made the march there impossible.
“Now it’s even more important for people everywhere to march on the weekend of November 29th on behalf of those who can’t, and show that we are more determined than ever to meet the challenges facing humanity with hope, not fear.”
Greenpeace France executive director Jean-Francois Juilliard said: “The French authorities say they cannot guarantee safety at the march, and so it will not happen.
“This is a source of huge regret, but we must respect their decision. Huge numbers were expected in Paris, but those people will not be silenced.
“ We will find new, imaginative ways to ensure our voices are heard in the UN conference centre and beyond.
“And in hundreds of towns and cities across the world people will still march for the climate, for Paris and for our shared humanity.
“We stand for a vision of human cooperation that the murderers sought to extinguish. They will not succeed.”
Campaigners said some 57 marches were planned for the weekend of November 28-29 in capitals around the world, as well as more than 2,000 events.
Pierre Cannet, head of climate, energy and sustainable infrastructures for WWF-France, said: “While the difficult situation facing the authorities right now is understandable, it is unfortunate that some key climate marches have been cancelled.
“A strong civil society voice is critical to the negotiating process and the climate movement will find other ways to amplify the urgency for action without compromising security.”
He added: “We will ensure that civil society mobilisations in other countries are bigger than ever because we must continue to get leaders to hear the voices of citizens across the world calling for urgent climate action.”
The march in London is expected to be one of the largest.
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