Brits and others seem to outshine us again (global warming protests)

too bad, since the US is the main problem...

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10358430

Global warming protest stretches around world

05.12.05
By Geoffrey Lean and David Randall

MONTREAL AND LONDON - More than 100,000 people took to the streets in more than 30 countries yesterday, in the first world-wide demonstration to press for action to combat global warming.

The marches - timed to put pressure on the most important international climate change negotiations since the agreement of the Kyoto Protocol eight years ago - took place against a background of a blizzard of new research showing the heating of the planet is seriously affecting the world sooner than scientists predicted.

The protests were directed primarily at US President George W. Bush, who ruled out even talking about setting targets for reducing pollution past 2012, when present targets expire.

Up to 10,000 people marched through London, carrying banners linking the President and British Prime Minister Tony Blair as "climate criminals".

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http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/article.php?article_id=7938

Britain’s biggest ever climate change demo


Last Saturday’s climate change demonstration weaves its way through central London (Pic: Guy Smallman)
by Matthew Cookson

Some 10,000 mainly young people marched through central London last Saturday against the inaction of the US and British governments over climate change.

The protest was the biggest ever demonstration over the issue in Britain and was part of the international day of action over climate change.

This was timed to coincide with the United Nations Montreal conference of countries that have signed up to the Kyoto Protocol on global warming.

There was deep anger against Tony Blair and his support for the US, which has refused to sign up to Kyoto.

Blair has recently cast doubt on a post-Kyoto international treaty with legally binding ­targets on reducing emissions of carbon dioxide that cause climate change.

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... would organize a public event. I'd go.

For Immediate Release On:
December 6, 2005

Contacts: Mary Bull: 415-509-1188
Helia Rasti 650-520-4363
 
Press Conference

Groups petition Newsom, Pelosi on global warming crisis

--San Francisco poised to be world leader in sustainable energy--
 
When: 1pm, Wednesday, December 7, 2005
 
Who: San Francisco Supervisors Ross Mirkarimi & Tom Ammiano; Community Choice author, Paul Fenn; reps of Bay Area enviro, social justice & anti-war groups; giant tree puppets (great photo-op!)
 
What: On the heels of several recent scientific reports on the serious impacts of global warming—including the fast melting of the Greenland ice caps, and the prevalence of man-made hothouse gasses in earth's atmosphere—a coalition of Bay Area environmental, social justice, and anti-war groups—and a contingent of dancing giant Redwood trees—will converge on the offices of San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, on Wed., Dec. 7, 2005, at 1:00 PM, to urge immediate action on the global warming crisis.

Local petitioners are acting in coordination with the international Climate Crisis Coalition, at the United Nations Climate Summit in Montreal (Nov. 28-Dec. 9), where 10,000 delegates from 189 nations are meeting to address the global warming crisis, and up to a million people are participating in solidarity actions around the world.

At the local level in San Francisco, petitioners are urging Mayor Newsom to make San Francisco the world leader in sustainable energy by immediately implementing Community Choice Energy, which allows the City to choose its electricity provider and use its voter-approved 2001 solar bond authority to build 360 megawatts of solar, wind, and conservation facilities to provide the power for all San Franciscans, physically causing a Greenhouse Gas reduction of unprecedented scale. Petitioners are also calling for the shut down of the city’s dirty power plants and a stronger forest protection policy.

At the federal level, petitioners are urging Congressional leader Pelosi to take a proactive approach to energy policy—on the Kyoto Protocol, funding for large-scale alternative energy such as San Francisco’s Community Choice plan, gas mileage standards, forest protection and restoration, and the elimination of subsidies for fossil-fuel and nuclear power.

The gigantic, towering redwood puppets that will lead the march to the Federal Building will pledge to continue restoring the earth, with the song "Give trees a chance" and their chant, "Ask not what the earth can do for you--ask what you can do for the earth."

Participating groups include Bay Area Coalition for Headwaters, Berkeley East Bay Gray Panthers, Community First Coalition, Energy Action, Environmental Justice & Climate Change Initiative, Global Exchange, Gray Panthers – San Francisco, Greenaction for Health & Environmental Justice, Greenwood Earth Alliance, Huntersview Community Organizers, International Socialist Organization, Northern California 9-11 Truth Alliance, Local Power, Our City, Pacific Environment, Rainforest Action Network, San Francisco Green Party Energy Working Group, and TUC Radio, among others.
 
Where: 1:00pm: press conference on City Hall Steps (Polk Street, between McAllister and Grove); 1:45pm: delegation to Mayor Gavin Newsom/dance performance on steps; 2:15pm – short march to Federal Building (Golden Gate entrance); 2:30pm: delegation to House Minority Leader, Nancy Pelosi.

SF is too far way for me, but I feel more hopeful knowing this is taking place.
:applause:

How unusual.