Tens of Thousands March at COP30 for Fossil Fuel Phaseout

Tens of thousands of protesters marched through the streets of Belém, Brazil, on Saturday, demanding an end to fossil fuel use and greater recognition of Indigenous rights as the United Nations COP30 climate summit reached its halfway point. The event, known as the Great Peoples March, marked the first large-scale demonstration outside a UN climate conference since 2021, following restrictions on public protests at previous summits hosted by Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Azerbaijan.

Organized by Indigenous groups and civil society networks including the Peoples Summit and the COP of the Lowlands, the rally drew participants from more than 60 countries. Demonstrators carried symbolic coffins representing coal, oil, and gas in a mock funeral procession for fossil fuels, while others rolled a giant beach ball depicting Earth and waved Brazilian flags emblazoned with "Protected Amazon." The 4.5-kilometer march unfolded under intense spring heat reaching 89.6 degrees Fahrenheit, with some attendees reporting heat-related illnesses. Brazilian Environment Minister Marina Silva and Indigenous Peoples Minister Sônia Guajajara joined the procession atop the lead vehicle,...