2014 People's Climate March

Climate change protest in New York City, U.S. August 2019 August 2026 August 2026 People's Climate March the climate movement File:People's Climate March - Selects-Highlights NYC -1.webm September 21, 2014 New York City with other events globally on the same day Action to reduce climate change Demonstration Participating people +300,000 worldwide 300px The People's Climate March (PCM) was a large-scale activist event orchestrated by the People's Climate Movement to advocate global action against climate change, which took place on Sunday, September 21, 2014, in New York City, along with a series of companion actions worldwide, many of which also took the name People's Climate March. With an estimated 311,000 participants, the New York event was the largest climate change march in history.Taking-A-Call-for-Climate-Change-to-the-Streets The New York Times 21 September 2014 https://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/22/nyregion/new-york-city-climate-change-march.html?_r=0 10 October 2014 Foderaro Lisa W. Described as "an invitation to change everything", the march was called in May 2014 by the global advocacy human rights group Avaaz and 350.org, the environmental organization founded by writer/activist Bill McKibben,http://peoplesworld.org/environmental-news-roundup-massive-peoples-climate-march-at-un-sept-2 Environmental news roundup: Massive Peoples Climate March at UN Sept. 21 Brodine Marc 2014-06-02 People's World 2014-07-10 and it was endorsed by "over 1,500 organizations, including many international and national unions, churches, schools and community and environmental justice organizations."http://peoplesworld.org/new-york-activists-expect-massive-september-climate-march-at-un New York activists expect massive September climate march at UN Butters Chris 2014-07-07 People's World 2014-07-10 It was conceived as a response to (but not a protest against)http://peoplesclimate.org/march/#FAQs People's Climate March – NYC March (FAQs) 2014-07-10 https://web.archive.org/web/20140709051244/http://peoplesclimate.org/march/#FAQs 2014-07-09 dead the scheduled U.N. Climate Summit of world leaders to take place in New York City two days later, on September 23.https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/a-call-to-arms-an-invitation-to-demand-action-on-climate-change-20140521 A Call to Arms: An Invitation to Demand Action on Climate Change McKibben Bill 2014-05-21 Rolling Stone 2014-07-10http://allafrica.com/stories/201406302286.html Africa: Ban Ki-Moon Eyes New Climate Deal, Rapid Progress On Sustainable Development in Wake of First United Nations Environment Assembly (press release) 2014-06-28 allAfrica 2014-07-10 Although based in New York, the event was global in scope and implication, with "companion demonstrations" worldwide.People's Climate March: thousands demand action around the world – as it happened https://www.theguardian.com/environment/live/2014/sep/21/peoples-climate-march-live The Guardian 8 April 2017 2014-09-22 Organizers intended the march to be "the largest single event on climate that has been organized to date... one so large and diverse that it cannot be ignored." The entire PCM project consisted of "numerous events, actions, symposia, presentations, and more organized over the course of the days leading up to the Summit, and in the days following," of which the march was intended to be "the anchor event". Worldwide, nearly 600,000 people were estimated to have marched on September 21, including those in New York.Hundreds of thousands turn out for global climate change marches http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2014/09/22/environment/tens-thousands-protest-climate-change-world-rallies/#.WOka6_mGPDc The Japan Times 8 April 2017 Public invitation to the march On May 21, McKibben published an article on the website of Rolling Stone magazine (later appearing in the magazine's print issue of June 5), entitled "A Call to Arms," which invited readers to a major climate march in New York City for the weekend of September 20–21.Both dates were mentioned in the McKibben article because it was not certain at the time which one would be the date on which the march would actually take place. After later negotiations with New York City authorities, the event planners chose Sunday the 21st as the definitive date. In the article, McKibben calls climate change "the biggest crisis our civilization has ever faced", and predicts that the march will be "the largest demonstration yet of human resolve in the face of climate change". After criticizing world leaders, including President Obama, for not moving fast enough or going far enough to combat climate change, McKibben cites increasing evidence of environmental deterioration, including the melting of Arctic and Antarctic ice, the acidification of the oceans, and violent weather and quotes one climate scientist as exclaiming "We're all sitting ducks." He blames this state of affairs primarily on the fossil-fuel industry, which "by virtue of being perhaps the richest enterprise in human history, has been able to delay effective action, almost to the point where it's too late." Although he claims that local, small-scale activism is crucial, the global climate justice movement sometimes "needs to come together and show the world how big it's gotten," and to allow for "opening up space for change". Writes McKibben: "A loud movement – one that gives our 'leaders' permission to actually lead, and then scares them into doing so – is the only hope of upending" the "prophecy" that it's already too late to reverse the problem. Staging area and route thumb|300x300px|A view of one section of the march waiting to start, north of Columbus Circle on Broadway, NYC The staging area in which marchers for the New York City event were to assemble on the morning of September 21, as agreed upon by the march organizers and local authorities, was located in a blocked-off area of Central Park West between 59th and 86th Streets, north of Manhattan's Columbus Circle, which is the official starting point of the march.https://madmimi.com/p/d3e845?fe=1&pact=25057532311 The Climate March, Explained 2014-09-14 Mad Mimi, LLC (Sane Energy Project) 2014-09-14 The area was divided into six sections, and participating groups were to gather in the particular section appropriate to the mission and purpose of each group. These were: "Frontline" groups ("Frontlines of Crisis, Forefront of Change"), located between 59th and 65th Streets – This area includes those people who are first and most impacted by climate change, including indigenous peoples, environmental justice organizations and other communities; Generational groups ("We Can Build the Future"), located between 65th and 72nd Streets – This area includes labor organizations, families – parents and their children, students, elders, etc.; Environmental groups ("We Have Solutions"), located between 72nd and 77th Streets – This area includes renewable energy, food and water justice and general environmental organizations; Protest groups ("We Know Who Is Responsible"), located between 77th and 81st Streets – This area includes anti-corporate and peace and justice groups as well as similar organizations; thumb|300x300px|Participating students march down Central Park West.Science ("The Debate Is Over"), located between 81st and 82nd Streets – This area includes scientists, interfaith groups and related organizations; Interfaith group, (Lutheran, Hindu), located on 58th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues. Miscellaneous groups ("To Change Everything, We Need Everyone"), located between 82nd and 86th Street – This area includes LGBTQ groups and various geographic entities, including New York City boroughs and communities, other U.S. city and state groups and groups from non-U.S. countries. The drop-off point for charter buses of marchers arriving from other places in the U.S. was on 86th Street between Broadway and Central Park West. The staging area is most easily accessible by subway via the 1 line (66th, 72nd and 79th Street stops) and the C line (72nd, 81st and 86th Street stops). There were only five permitted entry points to the staging area; all other streets were blocked off. The five permitted entry points were 65th, 72nd, 77th, 81st and 86th Streets. It was anticipated by some organizers that parts or all of the staging area might be closed off by the police well before the march is due to begin at 11:30 am, which means that those who arrive late in the morning might be placed at the rear of the march. In addition, those who leave the area before the march begins might not be permitted by the police to return. Therefore, some organizers advised marchers to arrive with sufficient food, water and sunscreen, as, after a certain point, they might not be able to leave the area. The march began at 11:30 am at Manhattan's Columbus Circle. The march itinerary included 59th Street (moving east), 6th Avenue (moving south), 42nd Street (moving west) and 11th Avenue (moving south), ending at 34th Street and 11th Avenue, near the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.http://peoplesclimate.org/march/#logistics People's Climate March – NYC March (Logistics) 2014-08-28 https://web.archive.org/web/20140827164005/http://peoplesclimate.org/march/#logistics 2014-08-27 dead Peripheral events A number of peripheral events were planned for before, during or after the weekend of the march. They included the following: Great March for Climate Action The Great March for Climate Action consists of a cross-country march from Los Angeles, California, to Washington, D.C., which began on March 1, 2014, and is scheduled to conclude on November 1, 2014. The march participants plan to take part in the PCM by interrupting their march for four days and traveling by bus from Ohio to New York City. The purpose of the convergence is to combine two historic climate marches – the largest (PCM) and the longest (The Great March). The marchers plan to return to Ohio beginning on the evening of September 21, hopefully bringing with them hundreds of new marchers from the PCM for the final six weeks of their journey. The Great March is scheduled to end just prior to the November 5 American mid-term elections.http://peoplesclimate.org/march/#schedule People's Climate March – NYC March (Schedule of Events) 2014-08-25 https://web.archive.org/web/20140824103529/http://peoplesclimate.org/march/#schedule 2014-08-24 dead Disruption (movie) Disruption is a film, approximately 52 minutes long, directed by Kelly Nyks and Jared P. Scott,http://watchdisruption.com/about Disruption: Climate. Change. – About The Movie Disruption: Climate. Change. 2014-09-07 which is being screened at various public venues, as well as in self-hosted screenings (for example, in libraries, campuses and community centers) on September 7, 2014, exactly two weeks before the People's Climate March, and on subsequent dates prior to the march.http://www.commondreams.org/news/2014/09/05/disruption-film-offers-grassroots-global-revolt-key-answer-climate-crisis 'Disruption': Film Offers Grassroots Global Revolt as Key Answer to Climate Crisis Queally Jon 2014-09-05 Common Dreams 2014-09-07http://watchdisruption.com/screenings Disruption: Climate. Change. – Screenings Disruption: Climate. Change. 2014-09-07 The film was partly produced by the organization 350.org, which called the PCM. On the evening of September 7, one of the free public screenings, which will take place at The New School in New York City, "will include a follow-up Q&A with some of the climate movement's most recognized leaders, some of whom are featured in the film." According to 350.org, the film's title refers to "the dangerous environmental tipping points after which the entire climate system could spiral out of control, as well as the need for a mass social movement to disrupt the status quo and business-as-usual approach which is inhibiting the bold actions necessary to protect the planet's future." According to the event organizers, the film "takes the viewer on a fast-paced journey through the tangled world of climate change: the science, the politics, the solutions, and the stories that define this crisis at this pivotal point in human history. This is a movie by and for the movement."https://docs.google.com/document/d/16YGyjtB6DtwgMKhcTbFSasL0AHJFrDtefqRfUdREzNY/pub Disruption Host Discussion Guide 2014-09-07 The film also seeks to answer the question "When it comes to climate change, why do we do so little when we know so much?" The film also argues that the environment crisis impacts other movements, such as that for social justice, as marginalized people stand to suffer most from the ravages of climate change. In a clip from the film, Eddie Bautista, executive director for the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance and one of the PCM's leading organizers, states, "This is not just about the environment, it's about the community, it's about jobs, it's about justice." Author Naomi Klein says in the film, "We have a responsibility to rise to our historic moment." The film can be viewed online.http://watchdisruption.com Disruption: Climate. Change. 2014-09-07 New York City Climate Convergence thumb|A sign promoting related Twitter hashtag #FloodWallStreet. The New York City Climate Convergence is a coalition formed by two political activist environmental organizations, System Change Not Climate Change (SCNCC) and the Global Climate Convergence (GCC). During the weekend of the climate march, the organization will hold two plenaries and a number of workshops that will focus on what the organizers claim are the economic causes of climate change, and on ways in which the system can be altered, so that the world will begin to value "people, planet and peace over profit".http://globalclimateconvergence.org/2014/07/nyc-climate-convergence-september-19-20-2014 Please join us at the Climate Convergence for People, Planet and Peace over Profit, Sept. 19–21! The Global Climate Convergence 2014-09-06 https://web.archive.org/web/20140907125411/http://globalclimateconvergence.org/2014/07/nyc-climate-convergence-september-19-20-2014/ 2014-09-07 dead According to the coalition's website, the "GCC recently rose to prominence when it organized a series of climate actions connecting to the labour and environmental movements (the social and ecological) in a campaign called 'Mother Earth Day to May Day 2014.' SCNCC, an 'ecosocialist' coalition arose out of multiple socialist and activists [sic] organizations in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy which devastated New York city [sic]."http://convergeforclimate.org/article/peoples-climate-march-invitation-change-everything People's Climate March: An invitation to change everything? Hornick Brad 2014-06-26 NYC Climate Convergence 2014-09-06 https://web.archive.org/web/20140907074421/http://convergeforclimate.org/article/peoples-climate-march-invitation-change-everything 2014-09-07 dead The coalition, as well as other groups espousing various forms of direct action, has been cited as furnishing "opportunities to build a stronger and more effective climate justice movement".http://www.occupy.com/article/climate-alarm-ringing-%E2%80%93-and-until-now-united-nations-has-failed-act Climate Alarm Is Ringing – And Until Now the United Nations Has Failed To Act Flowers Margaret Zeese Kevin 2014-09-04 Occupy.com 2014-09-06 The coalition is demanding: "Millions of jobs in renewable energy, conservation, and public transit A just transition from fossil fuels and nuclear power New food, water, and sanitation systems An emergency transition to a new kind of economy Tax the rich and slash the military budget."http://peoplestribune.org/pt-news/2014/08/nyc-climate-convergence-peoples-climate-march NYC climate convergence and peoples [sic] climate march Perry Sandy August 2014 People's Tribune 2014-09-06 The Opening Plenary for the New York City Climate Convergence, to be held on Friday evening, September 19 in midtown Manhattan, will include as speakers Bolivian water rights activist Oscar Olivera, Philippine trade unionist leader Josua Mata, Erica Violet Lee of the indigenous rights group Idle No More, hip hop artist and activist Immortal Technique, Anne Petermann of the Global Justice Ecology Project and Nastaran Mohit of the New York State Nurses Association.http://convergeforclimate.org/event/friday-night-opening-plenary-2014-09-20-020000 Friday Night Opening Plenary NYC Climate Convergence 2014-09-06 https://web.archive.org/web/20140908023928/http://convergeforclimate.org/event/friday-night-opening-plenary-2014-09-20-020000 2014-09-08 dead The Closing Plenary, to be held on the following night, will include as speakers the well-known author and activist Naomi Klein (The Shock Doctrine), Jacqui Patterson of the NAACP Environmental & Climate Justice Program, Desmond D'Sa, the 2014 Goldman Prize recipient from South Africa and Olga Bautista of the Southeast Side Coalition Against Petcoke.http://convergeforclimate.org/event/saturday-night-closing-plenary-2014-09-21-020000 Saturday Night Closing Plenary NYC Climate Convergence 2014-09-06 https://web.archive.org/web/20140907101531/http://convergeforclimate.org/event/saturday-night-closing-plenary-2014-09-21-020000 2014-09-07 dead Workshops will also be held during the day on September 20.http://convergeforclimate.org/sites/default/files/images/NYCConvergeforClimateWorkshops140906.pdf Schedule for the NYC Climate Convergence on September 20 2014-09-06 https://web.archive.org/web/20140907191423/http://convergeforclimate.org/sites/default/files/images/NYCConvergeforClimateWorkshops140906.pdf 2014-09-07 dead Flood Wall Street The day after the People's Climate March, on September 22, several thousand protesters participated in Flood Wall Street, which blocked traffic in New York's Financial District for much of the day. The action was presented as a response to a call by the Climate Justice Alliance, a network of groups on the front-lines of climate change, to call corporate America to account for its role in pollution.http://floodwallstreet.net/ Flood Wall Street official website Explaining the rationale, journalist (and Flood Wall Street participant) Nathan Schneider wrote in Al Jazeera America, "Climate change is war – and Wall Street is winning."http://convergeforclimate.org/article/peoples-climate-march-invitation-change-everything Climate change is war – and Wall Street is winning Schneider Nathan 2014-12-24 Al Jazeera America 2014-09-07 https://web.archive.org/web/20140907074421/http://convergeforclimate.org/article/peoples-climate-march-invitation-change-everything 2014-09-07 dead Approximately 100 people were arrested by the end of the day, of which 10 faced trial and were found not guilty on March 5, 2015.http://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/03/06/not-guilty-flood-wall-street-protesters-vindicated-manhattan-court Not Guilty: Flood Wall Street Protesters Vindicated By Manhattan Court Lazare Sarah 2015-03-06 Common Dreams Other global actions Major global marches thumb|30,000 people marching in Melbourne thumb|People's Climate March eventin Visakhapatnam (India) thumb|Climate March in MontrealMarche mondiale pour le climat The BBC reported an estimated 600,000 people turned out for events in 156 countries.Climate change summit: Global rallies demand action https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-29301969 BBC News 8 April 2017 2014-09-21 The following are other major global marches related to the PCM. Organizers urged those in the geographic vicinity of one of the following marches who had transportation access to that place, to attend that particular march, rather than start a new, smaller one.http://peoplesclimate.org/major-events People's Climate March – Major Events 2014-09-14 https://web.archive.org/web/20140915030917/http://peoplesclimate.org/major-events/ 2014-09-15 dead (Please note: all times and locations are for Sunday, September 21, unless otherwise noted.) Berlin, 4:00 PM (Berlin time); start: Brandenburg Gate; end: Potsdamer Platzhttp://peoplesclimate.org/berlin People's Climate March – Berlin 2014-09-14 https://web.archive.org/web/20140915030728/http://peoplesclimate.org/berlin/ 2014-09-15 dead Bogotá, 10:00 am (Bogotá time); start: Parque Nacional; end: Plaza de los Periodistashttp://peoplesclimate.org/bogota People's Climate March – Bogota 2014-09-14 https://web.archive.org/web/20140915030208/http://peoplesclimate.org/bogota/ 2014-09-15 dead New Delhi, 9:00 am, Saturday, September 20 (New Delhi time); Central Delhi (start and end locations undetermined)http://peoplesclimate.org/delhi People's Climate March – Delhi 2014-09-14 https://web.archive.org/web/20140915030845/http://peoplesclimate.org/delhi/ 2014-09-15 dead Istanbul, 11:00 am, Saturday, September 20 (Istanbul time); start: Tobacco Warehouse Lüleci Hendek Street No. 12http://peoplesclimate.org/istanbul People's Climate March – Istanbul 2014-09-14 https://web.archive.org/web/20140915025148/http://peoplesclimate.org/istanbul/ 2014-09-15 dead Johannesburg, 7:30 PM, Friday, September 19 (Johannesburg time); start: 2 Miriam Makeba Drive, Newtownhttp://peoplesclimate.org/johannesburg People's Climate March – Johannesburg 2014-09-14 https://web.archive.org/web/20140915025917/http://peoplesclimate.org/johannesburg/ 2014-09-15 dead Lagos, 10:00 am, Monday, September 22 (Lagos time); start: Alausa, Lagoshttp://peoplesclimate.org/lagos People's Climate March – Lagos 2014-09-14 https://web.archive.org/web/20140915030258/http://peoplesclimate.org/lagos/ 2014-09-15 dead London, 12:30 PM (London time); start: Temple Place; end: Parliament Househttp://peoplesclimate.org/london People's Climate March – London 2014-09-14 https://web.archive.org/web/20140915031150/http://peoplesclimate.org/london/ 2014-09-15 dead Melbourne: 30,000 people marched through the CBD, from the State Library to Treasury Gardens.Lucas, Clay: "Melbourne rally for climate change action attracts 30,000 people" in The Age, 21 September 2014 Paris, 2:00 PM (Paris time); start: Place de la République; end: Hôtel de Ville Metro stationhttp://peoplesclimate.org/paris People's Climate March – Paris 2014-09-14 https://web.archive.org/web/20140915031121/http://peoplesclimate.org/paris/ 2014-09-15 dead Rio de Janeiro, 10:30 am (Rio time); start: Ipanema, Posto 8http://peoplesclimate.org/rio People's Climate March – Rio 2014-09-14 https://web.archive.org/web/20140915031157/http://peoplesclimate.org/rio/ 2014-09-15 dead See also Environmental politics IPCC Fifth Assessment Report List of environmental protests March for Science (22 April 2017) Paris Agreement Politics of global warming Notes note 30em References 30em External links People's Climate March 2014 People's Climate Week – NYC People's Climate March – Global Mobilisation Global warming Environment Society United States Category:2014 in the environment Category:2014 protests Category:Protest marches in New York City Category:Protests in the United States Category:Climate change protests Category:Environmental protests in the United States