Over 1 000 at city climate march

Melanie Gosling

Environment Writer

MORE than 1 000 Capetonians took to the streets in soaring heat yesterday as part of the global climate march on the eve of the COP21 climate talks that begin in Paris today.

The global initiative by civil society is designed to put pressure on negotiators at the Paris talks to come up with a climate deal that would see nations make deep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions.

Cape Town marchers were togged out in hats and sunglasses in 32ºC heat. As they walked through the CBD they chanted “keep the oil in the soil, keep the coal in the hole”. Placards called for “100% renewable energy”, “less talk, action now” and “#emissions must fall”.

One boy carried a placard that said “March 4 Veronique” – part of an online initiative, March4Me, where people around the world could march on behalf of those who had planned to do so in Paris, but could no longer do so as the French authorities had banned marches in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks that killed 130 in Paris two weeks ago.

His mother, Melissa Pascoe, said she had taken part in the online initiative which paired volunteer marchers around the world with those who could not march in Paris.

“I just know her name and that she lives about 4km outside Paris and that she wanted to march.”

In Paris about 20 000 pairs of shoes – including a pair from Pope Francis – were laid outside the Place de la Republique to symbolise absent marchers.

Patrick Dowling, one of the organisers of the city march, said the turnout had been “three or four times” bigger than the climate march last year.

Marcher Sibusiso Khuz-wayo said he was marching “because emissions must fall, we must be as environmentally friendly as we can”.

Liz McDaid said the global marches were like “a wave” that started in the countries to the east and moved to cities around the world as the day wore on. “The thousands marching around the world is a sign that ordinary people are standing up to say we want action now. We’re saying it’s no good having top government people sitting in air-conditioned rooms talking and talking, and coming out with business-as-usual emissions for the last 21 years. This global action is a sign of hope that something really may happen at COP21,” McDaid said.

The marchers had invited mayor Patricia de Lille, Premier Helen Zille and Energy Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson to receive a petition. As none of the politicians replied, the marchers stood behind cardboard cut-outs of the three and delivered “the ideal response to our petition”, Dowling said.

The De Lille caricature committed to reducing the city’s greenhouse gas emissions from eight tons a person to five by 2014.

“Oops, our bad. We will try again!”

The Joemat-Pettersson caricature agreed that it was far better for coal to stay in the hole, adding: “Solar power to the people!”

melanie.gosling@inl.co.za