Despite the ban on public protests, several environmental groups plan to take to the streets of Paris on Saturday to express discontent with the to-be-released agreement. Based on draft texts, Friends of the Earth said a just climate deal is now “inconceivable.” 350.org plans to blast mournful fog horns, punctuating a moment of silence for “victims of climate change (past and future).”
One December 12 protest, which was planned before the ban, will form a symbolic red line near the Arc de Triomphe, with a snake of activists holding red umbrellas and sustainably sourced red tulips—a symbol of the red lines negotiators compromised in their discussions.
The draft text includes heartening recognition of the impacts of climate change, but much like other agreements, it’s riddled with compromises and loose goals—not actual policy requirements. And though the goals of activists may not be realistic in a worldwide agreement, they are also sending negotiators a signal that the fight for climate justice will continue—whether politicians back them or not.
