People’s Climate March 2015 in Downtown Miami

On October 14, 2015, the greater Miami community, a front-line community impacted by climate change, is coming together to call for bold action on climate at the local, national and global levels at Miami’s March for Real Climate Action Now. Workers, people of faith, students, immigrants, racial, climate and economic justice activists and other community members, want to make it clear to our leaders that climate change is not just an environmental issue, but also a social and economic justice struggle.

(Miami New Times)

What is the People’s Climate Movement?

The People’s Climate March on Sept. 21, 2014 signaled to both U.S. and global leaders that large numbers of people in the United States cared about the climate crisis. Not only was the march the largest action on climate in history, but we successfully changed the notion that climate change was just an environmental issue. The march made it clear that this is also a social and economic justice struggle. Building off of the energy and success of the march, the People’s Climate Movement was formed to continue to build on that energy and excitement and expand across the country.

Why should Miami care?

The World Resources Institute writes, “Miami has the largest amount of exposed assets and the fourth-largest population vulnerable to sea-level rise in the world. Sea-level rise is already causing significant impacts in Miami-Dade County, where prolonged flooding from strong storms has become a frequent enough event that Miami Beach city officials are considering a $206 million renovation of their drainage system. With estimated beachfront property of more than $14.7 billion (not including infrastructure), and the expected need of more than 23 million cubic yards of beach renourishment (or the equivalent of more than 10,781 football fields covered in 1 foot of sand) over the next 50 years, the urgency to address the issue is dire.”

What can you do?

The People’s Climate Movement and others are calling for a National Day of Action Wednesday, October 14 to demand bold action on the climate crisis facing our planet. We are calling for a sustainable, democratic and just economy that preserves our planet and works for all peoples. At the end of 2015, nations will meet again to negotiate an United Nation’s climate agreement in Paris that commits all countries to address climate change. What comes out of Paris will not mark the end of our efforts but could be an important step in the global process of confronting climate change.

This fall we will continue to build a powerful movement for change and bring the demand for bold action to our leaders in anticipation of the Paris climate talks. We will insist that our public leaders support us in taking action in building a new economy that will avert the worst impacts of the climate crisis. And, we will call out those public leaders, corporations and other organizations that are standing in the way of progress as they deny the science and block the popular alternatives.

Over 50 local organizations and elected officials, an estimated 800 individuals, will be marching in Downtown Miami to “demand real climate action from every level of government. Help make this the biggest climate justice event in Miami’s history.”

When: Wednesday, October 14, at 5 p.m.
Where: Miami-Dade County, Stephen P. Clark Government Center, West Lawn, 111 NW 1 Street, Miami, FL 33128