CAMPAIGNERS from Stroud added their voices to a chorus of millions more around world to calling for meaningful action on climate change this weekend.
Battling heavy rain and strong winds, hundreds took part in climate change events in Stroud on Saturday and Sunday.
They coincided with climate events taking place in 150 countries around the world on the eve of the summit in Paris.
World leaders are due to gather in the French capital today for the first round of negotiations at the COP21 conference in Paris to try to craft a long-term deal to limit carbon emissions.
A series of events on the High Street on Saturday saw campaigners and activists show their solidarity with hundreds of thousands of demonstrators around the globe.
Stalls, banners and placards were all on display as Gloucestershire Climate Action Network handed out leaflets and spoke to morning market shoppers.
Among the campaigners was the Earthman, who spoke to residents about the plight to save his forest home from destruction.
Stroud’s Green MEP Molly Scott Cato, Green district councillor John Marjoram and Green county councillor Sarah Lunnon were among those to join the event.
“You can see how much awareness there is about the Paris negotiations, the issue is high up on public perception as it’s ever been,” said Sarah Lunnon.
“There is a huge understanding in Stroud, the UK and around the world from huge continents to tiny pacific islands that the time to take action to stop climate change is now.
“We are optimistic a deal will be reached in Paris over the next few weeks, but it is just the beginning of the process of reducing our global carbon emissions. These talks are just the starting point.”
On Sunday the events continued, with three coaches from Stroud shuttling around 150 people of all ages to London to take part in the world’s largest climate march.
They joined around 50,000 others on the march from Park Lane, past the Houses of Parliament to a rally at Millbank.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, fashion designer Vivienne Westwood, actresses Emma Thompson and Vanessa Redgrave, singers Thom Yorke and Charlotte Church, Green, and the Green MP Caroline Lucas were among those who attended.
Meanwhile in Stroud another event saw children perform songs, poems and hula hooping, as well as creating chalk drawings of trees and animals outside the Subscription Rooms.
Jojo Mehta, who organised the ‘Hoop of Hope’ gathering, said: "I was asked by a number of people if there was something to attend locally if they couldn't make the big marches in Bristol and London.
“It felt very important for that feeling of connection and support to be expressed, and given the weather it was a great turn-out.”
Ruth Davey/www.look-again.org
Ruth Davey/www.look-again.org - Look Again uses photography for the health and wellbeing of people and planet.
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