In Atlantan on Sunday, November 29, leaders with the Indigenous Environmental Network kicked off the march with a moment of silence in honor of indigenous Creek American Indians forcibly removed from the Atlanta area and for all those lost in the Paris attacks last month. Organizers planned the march route to include Georgia Power headquarters, pictured below.
Sierra Club march coalition partners included Environment Georgia; Emory University Graduate Sustainability Group; City of Atlanta Office of Sustainability; Center for Sustainable Communities; Turner Foundation; Captain Planet Foundation; U.S. Climate Action Network; Georgia State University Office of Sustainability or Sustainable Energy Tribe; Georgia Interfaith Power and Light; and the Georgia Climate Change Coalition. Thanks be to these groups and all other environmental activists, volunteer leaders, coalition partners, and the Club's Georgia Chapter and Beyond Coal Georgia staffers (including organizer Ian Karra) who took part in this season of thanks.
over 550 Americans marched from Atlanta's Old Fourth Ward to the national Center for Civil and Human Rights (where around 100 people attended an environmental justice panel with Sierra Club President Aaron Mair just over a month ago) to demand climate action at COP21.
The day before, over 50 Savannah activists mobilized to call for action in Paris and in opposition to local fossil fuel infrastructure projects.
City of Atlanta Director of Sustainability Stephanie Stuckey-Benfield and Rev. Dr. Gerald L. Durley addressed the activists before the march started down Ralph McGill Boulevard.
Georgia State Senator Vincent Fort spoke to prioritizing the needs of young, elderly, and low-income citizens in discussion at the climate talks. in Georgia, Senator Fort defined climate justice as low-income weatherization and renewable energy being considered top priorities by and for Georgia Power.
If you're on twitter, pleaser consider asking @GeorgiaPower to #ActOnClimate!
The People’s Climate March Atlanta is spearheaded by a diverse group of dedicated volunteers representing Georgia nonprofit organizations, businesses, academia, activists, religious groups, government and more.