Tens of thousands of demonstrators marched through central Paris on Saturday calling on the French government and the international community to do more to tackle climate change.
In a festive atmosphere, demonstrators chanted slogans and carried banners urging politicians to act now to stop global warming.
The protest comes after on a special report released on October 8 by UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned phasing out coal by 2050 is crucial if we are to limit global warming rising to a maximum of 1.5degC.
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"Political decisions have to be taken, in particular on the budget dedicated to renewable energies and to the ecological transition," said protester Vincent Gay.
"The money for that exists, in the banks, in the savings of the French, that today is used for fossil energy. The money is also there used for subventions of companies by the Macron government. The priority is thus to recuperate this money to be used for the energy transition."
"What is the report of the GIEC saying? It says that it's between now and 2030 that it's decisive," said Yamina Saeb, expert in energy policy and Paris resident.
"It's not in 2050, because in 2050, those who are taking the decisions today will not be there anymore, they will not have to explain themselves. It's between now and 2030. So, today, those who are in power are able to take the necessary decisions to save the planet."
APTN
