Tens of thousands of people will take part in the Rise for Climate mobilisations in September 2018 with distributed local actions in towns, institutions, universities, and houses of worship around the world. The actions are expected to drive climate action within communities and send a message to governments about what the will of the people really is ahead of the Global Climate Action Summit (GCAS).
The GCAS, hosted by California Governor Jerry Brown, will take place from September 12 to 14 and will be attended by governments, cities, businesses and other stakeholders. The forum is intended to showcase climate action by non-state actors taking place around the world and inspire deeper commitments from national governments.
The Rise for Climate mobilisations, it was gathered, will set the bar for the Summit by demonstrating what real climate leadership looks like and challenging governments to accelerate progress towards a just and equitable transition to 100% renewable energy for all while stopping all new fossil fuel projects and embarking on a just and managed decline of existing production.
Diverse groups representing faith, youth, justice, labour and cities are said to be supporting the Rise for Climate mobilisation that springs from the fast-growing grassroots climate movement. Notable actions will include: tens of thousands taking to the streets of San Francisco in USA, a continental day of action in Australia, several events planned across the Pacific islands and Africa including local renewable energy summits, actions across major European cities with a major march planned in Portugal and a flagship event in Kiev in Ukraine, creative actions in Latin America, and virtual marches planned in East Asia.
The Climate Action Network (CAN) says: “Through these actions we will collectively demand even more from local and national governments across the world at this critical juncture where people’s livelihoods are at stake due to the growing impacts of the climate crisis. This mobilisation is part of a larger wave of global mobilisations unfolding this year including Reclaim Power and Global Frackdown – together these actions will help to build a groundswell of support for real climate leadership, pile the pressure on national leaders that are falling short of their commitments, and create the right momentum to secure a fast and just transition to an equitable world by 2020.”
