As the U.N.’s climate talks wrap up in Paris, protestors here are preparing for a noisy and likely very wet march through downtown Seattle on Saturday. A coalition of groups is pushing for swifter action to curb carbon pollution.
“It is a critical moment in our time because this year is the last year we really have to do something meaningful to really change climate chaos," said Zarna Joshi.
She’s with the groups Rising Tide Seattle and Women of Color Speak Out. They’re joining forces with at least ten other environmental organizations, including 350 Seattle, The Sierra Club and Greenpeace.
They’re planning a “climate scream” (that’s right, they’re going to yell) at exactly 12:12 on Saturday at Westlake Plaza. The aim is to convey their frustration about the effects of greenhouse gas emissions, and especially its disproportionate impact on lower income families here and developing nations abroad.
Their slogan is “we are the red line.”
“It is not looking like there will be any binding treaties coming out of Paris this year,” said Joshi. “That is call for the people to wake up; that is call for the people to get out in the street, and that is call for the people to make noise.”
She says after the scream, protestors – who have been told to dress in red – will use pots and pans and whatever else they can get together to ring sounds of protest as they march from Westlake Plaza to Pike Place Market.
Some analysts say the non-binding nature of the agreements likely to come out of Paris is what will make progress possible, since some nations have too far to go and this at least keeps them at the table.
