Civil society takes to streets in Polish capital as anger grows at lack of progress during climate change summit
Climate activists registered their anger at a perceived lack of progress at the COP19 talks in a Climate Justice Protest march through the streets of Warsaw earlier today.
Amid a heavy police presence, 3000 people walked from the Palace of Culture in the centre of the city to the National Stadium, where the UN conference is taking place.
NGOs say they are concerned at the level of business engagement with the talks, and also a decision by UN climate chief Christiana Figueres to attend a coal summit hosted by Poland on Monday.
“Governments have come here and we’re moving backwards,” WWF’s head of Climate and Energy Samantha Smith told RTCC at the protest.
“We’re super frustrated, we’re hoping this process next week can make some forward movement, but if it doesn’t, we really have to question why are governments here, why are we here, and what is the UNFCCC Secretariat doing about this?”, she added.