Scottish capital climate march on global weekend of protests
Thousands are expected to take part in Edinburgh
Last updated 16th Sep 2023
Thousands of climate activists are expected to march through Edinburgh today in one of the biggest demonstrations in Scotland since Cop26 as part of a global day of action against fossil fuels.
It’s estimated there will be around 400 global protests calling for an end to the burning of fossil fuels as the globe suffers dramatic weather extremes and record-breaking heat.
The Edinburgh march will meet at The Mound at 11am and its route will pass the UK Government building and the Scottish Parliament.
Evelyn McGregor from the Edinburgh Climate Coalition said:
“The protest is part of the biggest ever global day of action against fossil fuels.
“We’re getting organised and protesting because of Rishi Sunak's promise to give out hundreds of new oil licences despite the record-breaking temperatures, extreme weather and terrifying wildfires this summer.
“By choosing to max out fossil fuels, politicians are lighting the climate's touch paper and signing a death sentence for millions of people."
Ministers insist the new round of drilling licences in the North Sea will boost the UK's energy security.
READ MORE: Claims most Scots support new oil exploration
Worldwide protests
A strike - driven by several mostly youth-led, local and global climate groups and organisations, including Greta Thunberg's Fridays for Future movement - will take place in dozens of countries and in hundreds of cities worldwide and continue through the weekend.
A week before the planned protest, the United Nations warned that countries are way off track to curb warming to 1.5C since pre-industrial times, as agreed in Paris in 2015. The world has warmed at least 1.1C since then.
Over the past few months, Earth broke its daily average heat record several times according to one metric, July was the hottest month ever recorded, and the Northern Hemisphere summer was declared the hottest ever.
Another major strike is planned to take place Sunday in New York, to coincide with the city's Climate Week and the UN climate summit.
Climate activists have organised similar worldwide strikes in recent years, where protesters from different nations join together on a single day.