On the eve of the United Nations Climate Change Conference Paris, the KC Climate Coalition is joining global efforts with a local march and rally through the Country Club Plaza.
The march, which is one of 2,000 planned worldwide, will begin at 2:45 p.m., Sunday, November 29 at the J.C. Nichols Parkway Fountain and culminate with a rally featuring U.S. Congressman Emanuel Cleaver as the special guest speaker.
The global day of action is being organized by 350.org to call on the 194 nations attending the conference to reach an agreement to leave at least 80 percent of fossil fuel reserves in the ground, finance a transition to 100-percent renewable energy by 2050, and ensure communities that will be most impacted by climate change have the resources to respond. The conference, commonly known as COP21, will run from November 30 to December 11.
Due to security concerns after the terrorist attacks in Paris, the French government has canceled the Climate March in Paris scheduled for November 29, so organizers are emphasizing the importance of attending local marches to show global support for immediate action.
The KC Climate March will begin near the JC Nichols Fountain in Mill Creek Park and will proceed through the Plaza to the pedestrian bridge over Brush Creek for a group photo. The march will use sidewalks and obey traffic laws.
The rally featuring Cleaver and speakers from faith, labor and community groups will begin at 4:30 p.m. at All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church, 4501 Walnut St, Kansas City, MO.
The KC Climate Coalition is a new organization that includes membership from environmental, labor, justice, peace and business groups to support a clean energy future. For more information, go to KC Climate Coalition or its Facebook page. To RSVP to the march, click here. To see what other cities are planning, visit Global Climate March.
Top photo: By Alexandra Kutler is licensed under CC By 2.0.
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