Multiple environmentalists and even presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Ver., have claimed that the biggest threat to national security is global warming. According to the World Health Organization, “climate change is expected to cause approximately 250,000 additional deaths per year between 2030 and 2050. Climate change could cause these deaths due to its connection through food and water shortages and an increase in natural disasters. This idea was shared and reflected by protesters who, as part of the global climate march on the eve of the COP 21 conference, braved Paris’ current state of emergency to protest climate change.
The COP 21 climate conference is a global conference that is taking place in Paris this week and next. President Obama and other world leaders are to be attending, with the hopes of addressing climate change and its devastating international effects. In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in Paris, security has been reinforced.
This reflects the state of emergency in Paris since the attacks. In response to the warnings, Parisian protesters lined up thousands of pairs of shoes to represent the protestors who would be marching with them in spirit and to the few environmental activists who were put on house arrest for violating the state of emergency. One activist told the Guardian, “Climate summits are not photo opportunities to boost the popularity of politicians. Given the stakes of the climate crisis, they are by their nature highly contested. That is democracy, messy as it may be. The French government, under cover of anti-terrorism laws, seems to be trying to avoid this, shamefully banning peaceful demonstrations and using emergency powers to preemptively detain key activists.”
Certain attendees wore masks on their faces and antagonized police. The climate change community denies that these instigators were affiliated with the protestors, and President Francois Hollande recognized that they had “nothing to do with those who protect the environment.” In a city that has recently seen so much violence, it’s a shame that these peaceful protests were met with more violence. In 2015, it is irresponsible to suppress the concern for change, especially immediately before a climate summit. In other cities around the world such as Sydney, Berlin and Hong Kong, the global march was successful and peaceful. In London, famous supporters like actress Emma Thompson and fashion designer Vivienne Westwood attended. The idea behind the protest was that it would be a global movement to reflect not only the conference, but also the widespread consequences of climate change.
This show of unified concern and global support for reforms that will reduce climate change show the importance of these issues to citizens around the world. The reaction of Paris’ police force is understandable, but not entirely excusable. It was not right to prevent legitimate activists from attending the march while it was peaceful. However, the violent group that infiltrated the protest did as much harm to the message as the police did.
But the overall message of the protests remains the same. It is easy to be terrified and to act decisively when there is a human enemy. Climate change is just as dangerous, but the enemy lies is our own habits. It’s a harder enemy to face and it is easier to ignore, but it is even more detrimental to our way of life. “The first generation to feel the impact of climate change and the last generation that can do something about it,” said President Obama. The global marchers are doing something about it and can only hope that world leaders listen.
jordrile@indiana.edu
@riledupIDS
