As diplomats from around the world are considering the final draft agreement of a landmark climate deal on Saturday, people took to the streets by the thousands in Paris in a demonstration to show that climate change activism doesn't end with the U.N. Paris Climate Summit.
Thousands stood along the Avenue de la Grande Armée leading to the Arc de Triomphe to draw a "red line" pointing to La Défense, where the headquarters of major fossil fuel companies are located. They say these companies and their backers are the real perpetrators of climate crimes.
The demonstrators were out despite the French government banning protests after the Nov. 13 terror attacks in Paris.
With one heartbeat we're drawing a red line: no more fossil fuels, 100% renewable energy #COP21 #keepitintheground pic.twitter.com/t5LcW3vdpC— 350 dot org (@350) December 11, 2015
"Resistance not resilience" #d12 #COP21 #redline #climatejustice pic.twitter.com/lYowI6H5Uq— Cameron Russell (@CameronCRussell) December 12, 2015
En direct de la #redlines de Paris Une #Cop21 jeune et citoyenne du monde. pic.twitter.com/8UebT4wvPY— Olivier ROYER (@Zit38) December 12, 2015
The final draft of the climate deal would be legally binding and would set a temperature target of holding global warming to "well below 2 degrees Celsius," or 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, above preindustrial levels by 2100. The agreement also calls upon countries to "pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels," a target sought by small island nations threatened by sea level rise.
If adopted, the agreement would constitute the first universal climate agreement in history, reflecting the huge geopolitical changes that have occurred since the first climate agreement was forged in 1992.
#Redlines of #climatejustice being drawn across #Paris. Together we will get us where we need to be. #COP21 #go100re pic.twitter.com/b9CJDwwyGJ— Mike Hudema (@MikeHudema) December 12, 2015
On Friday night the Eiffel Tower was lit up with messages of encouragement to the delegates at the marathon talks.
The final draft is up for discussion and vote starting at 3:45 p.m. local time Saturday.