Thousands march to demand end to fossil fuels ahead of UN climate summit
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Thousands of activists, Indigenous groups, students and others take to the streets of New York for the "March to End Fossil Fuels" protest on Sept. 17, 2023 in New York City. Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Tens of thousands of people marched in New York City and across the U.S. Sunday to demand President Biden and other world leaders to end fossil fuels ahead of this week's UN Climate Ambition Summit.
The big picture: Several of the speakers at the New York event that kicked off Climate Week NYC took aim at the Biden administration for approving new oil and gas drilling permits.
- "Biden, you should be scared of us," said Emma Buretta, a 17-year-old Brooklyn organizer for youth protest group Fridays for Future. "If you want our vote, if you don't want the blood of our generations to be on your hands, end fossil fuels."
What they're saying: A White House spokesperson defended the administration's record on addressing climate change in an emailed statement Sunday evening, pointing to measures including his reversal earlier this month of Trump-era decisions on oil drilling in Alaska.
- "President Biden has treated climate change as an emergency — the existential threat of our time — since day one," the spokesperson said.
- "That's why he signed into law the most ambitious climate bill in history, conserved more land and water in his first year than any President since JFK, rejoined the Paris Agreement, attracted $240 billion in private sector investment in clean energy manufacturing, and used his emergency authorities to invoke the Defense Production Act to supercharge domestic clean energy manufacturing.
- "Just last week, the President secured commitments from the G20 to take additional steps to meet the goals set in the Paris Agreement," added the spokesperson, who criticized Republicans for "trying to repeal his historic bill and unwind regulations that reduce emissions and curb pollution."
What we're watching: The spokesperson said the administration would announce next week "additional actions to combat the climate crisis, create good-paying jobs, and advance environmental justice."
In photos: Climate protests in U.S., across the world
Go deeper: Global climate ambition gets fresh boost, as world lags on Paris Agreement goals
Editor's note: This article has been updated with comment from Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez and more photos.
