Protesters gather at Queen’s Park, call for climate change action from global leaders

Hundreds turned out to downtown Toronto on Saturday afternoon, calling on global leaders to take more action to stop climate change.

The protesters gathered on the lawn of Queen’s Park in solidarity with demonstrators around the world.

The rally took place on the Global Day of Action for Climate Justice, coinciding with COP26 — the United Nations climate talks currently taking place in Glasgow, Scotland.

Hundreds turn up at Queen’s Park for #GlobalDayofAction – calling on the federal government to do more for climate justice. Full story on @CityNewsTO at 6. #ClimateAction pic.twitter.com/6wkAMYmeKh

— Maleeha Sheikh (@MaleehaCity) November 6, 2021

Those in attendance are demanding “climate justice now” from leaders around the world.

“We need system change that comes from the ground up,” reads the Global Day of Action’s call to action. “We are living through a period of multiple breaking points – from climate to COVID to racism.”

“We need climate action that works for all of us, not just the people with the most money in their pockets.”

Among the protesters in attendance at Queen’s Park were representatives from Friday’s for Future, The Labour Education Centre and the Registered Nurse’s Association.

Leaders of the Global Day of Action movement say they have organized over 250 decentralized mass mobilizations across the world. Bringing together movements — from Indigenous struggles, trade unions, racial justice group and youth strikers — to build power for system change.

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Tens of thousands of climate activists marched through Glasgow on Saturday.

Many of the marchers condemned government leaders for failing to produce the fast action they say is needed, with some echoing activist Greta Thunberg’s view Friday that the talks were just more “blah, blah, blah.”

Marchers held signs with messages including “Code Red for Humanity,” “Stop big polluters,” “COP26, we are watching you” or simply “I’m angry.” One sign asked “If not you, then who? If not now, then when?”

During a speech at the COP26 talks this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pushed the world to have 60 per cent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions covered by a price on pollution in 2030.

Trudeau made a speech calling on the rest of the world to follow Canada’s lead and negotiate a global minimum carbon price.

With files from the Associated Press