THOUSANDS OF environmental activists marched through the streets of Durban, South Africa, on Saturday calling for faster action on climate change in a bid to influence negotiators ahead of this week’s crucial UN talks.
Chants of " Amandla Awethu", the rally cry of South Africa's anti-apartheid activists that translates as "power to the people", rang out as demonstrators from around the world marched in a carnival atmosphere from the city centre to the International Convention Centre, where the climate change negotiations are taking place.
While the protest passed off peacefully, many in the crowd criticised the UN talks, which end on Friday, saying they were moving too slowly and big business appeared to have too much influence on the proceedings.
Organisations including Greenpeace, Canadians for Climate Justice and South African union federation Cosatu waved signs and banners that said “Climate Justice, not Climate Apartheid” and “Stop Killing our Earth”. It appeared that up to 10,000 people were involved in the demonstration.
“We are bringing the voice of people from South Africa and the world to say to those inside the negotiating rooms that they have to actually take serious decisions on climate change,” said South African Lubna Nadri of Women in Action.
The marchers were addressed by speakers including Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi and they were met outside the convention centre by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change executive secretary, Christiana Figueres. She maintained she was happy with the way things were going at the talks.
Ms Figueres insisted that protesters were wrong to think progress had not been made. “I have witnessed extraordinary progress over the last year, and even in the seven days since we have been here.”
She told reporters later she was “pretty confident that we are going to come out of Durban . . . with probably the strongest package to support adaptation that we have ever had”.
However, her predecessor Yvo de Boer said yesterday he was “deeply concerned about where it’s going, or rather where it’s not going, about the lack of progress”.