Marchers take a stand on climate change

Video by Anna Laquintano

“Climate action is under attack and we must take a stand to continue the efforts we’ve pledged under the Paris Climate Agreement! Now more than ever, action must be taken to preserve our living planet; not just for us, but for our future generations,” reads the website of Pennsylvania Council of Churches.

Members of the Pennsylvania Council of Churches and others gathered in Philadelphia Sunday, Feb. 19, to stand in solidarity to send a message that they continue to support our country’s participation in the Paris Climate Agreement.

A marcher who preferred to be anonymous said, “We want to make sure that that agreement stays in tact and that the United States of America maintains its obligations under that agreement and leads the rest of the world towards a greener future.”

On Nov. 7, 2016, thousands of activists gathered in Marrakech, Morocco, for the annual U.N. climate summit. According to TIME Magazine, “Just days earlier, the Paris Agreement, by far the most ambitious international deal to fight climate change ever negotiated, had entered into legal force.” The next day President Donald Trump was elected to take office. This shocked the whole climate change community.

According to Fortune.com, “Trump, a climate skeptic, campaigned on a pledge to boost the U.S. oil and gas drilling and coal mining industries by reducing regulation.” Myron Ebell, a man who headed Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency transition team, commented by stating, “Trump has made it clear he will withdraw from the Paris Agreement. He could do it by executive order tomorrow or he could do it as part of a larger package.”

President Trump’s stand on climate change has struck many people. Those who are passionate about the issue would not let this go unnoticed. “Withdrawing is not something we can afford to do! A global movement is required for a global problem, which means action must be taken on a global level,” the March for Paris Agreement Facebook Event Page says.

The March for the Paris Agreement began at 2 p.m. on Feb. 19. Activists, friends and family joined with their signs and passion. The march began at the oval in front of the Art Museum and progressed down the Ben Franklin Parkway, circled around Penn Square and ended at Thomas Paint Plaza.

“I found out about it through Facebook. My friend showed me an online event page that was going around,” an anonymous source said. 

This event was sponsored by various supporters such as Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania, Green-Mom, PennFuture, 305 Philadelphia and many more.

“What do we want, GREEN JOBS. When do we want them, NOW,” supporters chanted through the streets of Philadelphia.

“I think right now people are fired up about causes that are near and dear to their heart. I think there are deep fears about a significant series of issues and I think that the intentions of the people here and the intentions of people all over the country are stay out there and to represent all of these causes and all of these issues one at a time and not be silent,“ an anonymous marcher said.

The march went on for about an hour and a half until it peacefully ended. Participants thanked each other for coming out and supporting the climate.

PCC will host more upcoming marches and events, you can check out their website for more information: http://www.pachurchesadvocacy.org/about/