Ahead of the opening of the United Nations General Assembly, tens of thousands of people rallied in New York to demand urgent action on climate change.
Protesters from some 700 organizations and activist groups took part in Sunday’s rally, shouting that humanity’s future depended on ending fossil fuels and carrying signs that read “Fossil fuels are killing us” and “I didn’t vote for fires and floods”.
Many directed their anger directly at U.S. President Joe Biden, who is up for re-election next year, urging him to stop approving new oil and gas projects, phase out existing ones and declare a climate emergency with greater executive powers.
“We have the power of the people, the power you need to win this election,” said 17-year-old Emma Buretta of Brooklyn from the youth protest group Fridays for Future. “If you want to win in 2024, if you don’t want the blood of my generation on your hands, end fossil fuels.”
The rally, dubbed the “March to End Fossil Fuels,” was the opening salvo in New York’s Climate Week. The week brings together the world’s leaders in business, politics, and the arts in an effort to save the planet.