Melbourne, Australia; Quezon city, Philippines; Cairo, Egypt; Apia, Samoa; Tokyo, Japan; Kathmandu, Nepal; Wellington, New Zealand; Majuro, Marshall Islands; Dhaka, Bangladesh, and many more.
Over the weekend, hundreds of thousands of people marched in the streets calling for climate action. And those who couldn’t march, including here in Paris, were represented by friends across the world. Others, including Pope Francis, sent their shoes to represent them.
The power of this unprecedented citizen mobilisation is surely so strong that it will penetrate these arcane UN halls.
It is up to you, delegates, to both live up to this demand for climate action from your citizens – embracing ambition and the common good – and also to build in community-driven solutions. Enhancing education, access to information and meaningful public participation would recognise the importance of these engaged citizens. It would also ensure that climate action reflects the needs of local communities, and the transition already underway.
ECO is grateful for the leadership of the Dominican Republic in promoting these crucial elements and expects all countries to rally in support of them.
