Climate Change: Hundreds March On Parliament To Demand Emissions Reduction

Protesters March On Parliament Calling For Reduction In Carbon Emissions
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Hundreds of climate change protesters have marched on the Houses of Parliament calling for the world's rich countries to reduce their emissions.

The march, which began at Blackfriars Bridge and ended at Parliament, coincided with the United Nations climate change conference being held in Durban, South Africa.

Protesters split unevenly to symbolise the richest 7% of the world's population versus the poorest 50% at the footsteps of Parliament.

Climate Justice rally co-ordinator Phil Thornfield said it represented the Princeton Environment Institute's calculations which found the richest 7% of the world's population created half of the world's emissions while the globe's poorest 50% accounted for only 7% of emissions.

"In Africa there are already a lot of people suffering from climate change impacts such as exceptional droughts but they have done little to create the problem," Mr Thornfield said.

"It has been created by the rich industrialised countries and that's the fundamental inequity of it all."

The Metropolitan Police said the rally went peacefully and there had been no arrests.