Cairns: Australians rallied for climate action on Sunday, from protesters chanting "Green energy" outside G20 talks to forming a human chain message in Sydney as part of an international day of action.
The protests are part of a global call to arms to fight climate change ahead of a United Nations summit in New York on Tuesday, which Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott will miss to attend parliament in Canberra.
"The message that we wanted to send clearly is that we are really disappointed our prime minister is not showing up to the emergency climate change meeting," said Sydney protester Ella Weisbrot.
Hundreds attended the protest in an inner-city park in which they stood in a formation which spelled out "Beyond coal and gas", Weisbrot said.
They repeatedly chanted "Every dollar spent, every single cent, 100 percent, green energy" and carried banners including one that read: "Add climate change to the G20."
Australia will be represented at the meeting by Foreign Minister Julie Bishop.
Speaking at a rally attended by several thousand in Melbourne, Greens leader Christine Milne said small Pacific states were already suffering from the effects of a warming planet and rising sea levels.
Australia has pledged to reduce emissions by five percent by 2020 from 2000 levels, but has since scrapped a key tool, the world's biggest carbon tax.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is expected to join the a demonstration in Manhattan, at which an estimated 100,000 people are expected to attend.
The protests are part of a global call to arms to fight climate change ahead of a United Nations summit in New York on Tuesday, which Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott will miss to attend parliament in Canberra.
"The message that we wanted to send clearly is that we are really disappointed our prime minister is not showing up to the emergency climate change meeting," said Sydney protester Ella Weisbrot.
Hundreds attended the protest in an inner-city park in which they stood in a formation which spelled out "Beyond coal and gas", Weisbrot said.
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They repeatedly chanted "Every dollar spent, every single cent, 100 percent, green energy" and carried banners including one that read: "Add climate change to the G20."
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Australia will be represented at the meeting by Foreign Minister Julie Bishop.
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Speaking at a rally attended by several thousand in Melbourne, Greens leader Christine Milne said small Pacific states were already suffering from the effects of a warming planet and rising sea levels.
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Australia has pledged to reduce emissions by five percent by 2020 from 2000 levels, but has since scrapped a key tool, the world's biggest carbon tax.
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UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is expected to join the a demonstration in Manhattan, at which an estimated 100,000 people are expected to attend.
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