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Unions around the world will join thousands of rallies, marches and protests taking place on September 21st to deliver the biggest ever global demonstration for climate action in history.

The largest will be in New York where upwards of 100,000 people are expected to come together to demand leaders take action in advance of the Ban Ki Moon climate summit that takes place two days later.

“Climate change threatens everything for which the labour movement stands including fairness, social justice and decent work,” said UNI Global Union General Secretary Philip Jennings.

“UNI encourages its 20 million-strong global family to take to the streets on September 21st and demand true and lasting change from leaders.

“There are few dangers greater than a warming planet. The world is watching.”

Ricken Patel, Executive Director of the 38-million member civic organization, Avaaz, said, “There’s a vast latent constituency of people out there who are alarmed about climate change. But for years, nobody has put up a banner that said ‘this is the time, this is the place, to show you care.’ The People’s Climate March is that banner, and we’re seeing a phenomenal response to it,”

More than 2,000 “People’s Climate” events are now planned worldwide in 150 countries.

Highlights include:

• In rural Papua New Guinea, students from a primary school will march to a nearby lighthouse which has recently become semi-submerged due to rising sea levels.
• The border between Vancouver and Seattle will be the location of an international rally where thousands of people will link hands across the boundary line to show that climate change knows no borders.
• In Lagos, plans are underway for a climate march through the streets of Africa’s largest city. They will be joined by solidarity events in rural areas throughout Nigeria.
• In Tanzania, the Maasai plan to march calling for action from their ancient homelands in the Serengeti.
• In London environment organisations and faith groups are combining forces to create what will be a march through the city to the steps of Parliament.
• In Rio, thousands are expected to march on the beaches of Ipanema, while images will be broadcast on the statue of Christ the Redeemer in the week building up to the march.
• In Australia, a Climate March will convene in Melbourne afterwards a group will walk 700 km along the eastern seaboard to the nation’s capital Canberra arriving at the Parliament, to raise awareness about climate impacts.
• In Bogota, Colombia, over 10,000 people are expected to join the march through the capital calling for action.
• In New Delhi, thousands will take over the streets on September 20 to demand a renewable energy revolution.
• In Berlin, a silent parade, a stream of cyclists and a march for children will converge on the Brandenburg gate.
• In Paris, local groups will create the “Paris Marche pour le Climat,” with parades, marches, and bicycle rides planned across the bridges of the Seine.

The worldwide mobilization and march in New York City will take place just two days before world leaders are set to attend a Climate Summit at the United Nations hosted by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. The summit is designed to build momentum for national and international climate action, including a new global climate treaty that will be finalized in Paris next year. Mobilization organizers say they are looking for “Action, Not Words” at the summit.