World's largest climate change protest

This afternoon I joined what has been billed as the world's largest climate change protest, as an estimated 100,000 people marched from the Danish Parliament to the Bella Center, when the UN conference is being held, to demand a new and fair global climate change deal.

Like the march in London last week, the event had a colourful carnival atmosphere, and was an inspiring display of disparate groups coming together with a common message.

The day was only marred by intimidating groups of police in full riot gear walking among people who were marching peacefully, and the arrest of some innocent bystanders (including someone in the group I was walking with, who was waiting outside a cafe while his friend went to the toilet inside).

I know many people who have travelled to Copenhagen on long journies by bus or train from across the continent just to be part of today's march. This kind of passion and commitment is a demonstration of how important ordinary people know it is that there is real action to tackle climate change. The questions is now, with just a week of the negotiations to go, whether our political leaders have the same determination.

Image: Greenpeace/Kristian Buus (Creative Commons)