Protestors demanding action from world leaders on climate change have massed in 158 countries, culminating in a large march in New York. It's the venue of a special UN climate summit due on Tuesday, reports GHN based on DW.
Massed calls were made on Sunday for urgent climate change remedies at rallies from Melbourne to New York. Organizers described the events worldwide as the "largest climate demonstration of all time."
Celebrities such as actor Leonardo DiCaprio, former US vice president Al Gore and French Ecology Minister Segolene Royal were among a New York crowd put by organizers at 310,000 that marched down Sixth Avenue.
Among them, UN chief Ban Ki-moon said he was overwhelmed by the "energy and voice of the people" and hoped their message would impact on world leaders and representatives who are due to attendTuesday's summit.
Momentum sought for Paris
The one-day UN gathering is supposed to set the stage for a crucial UN negotiations conference in Paris in December 2015 aimed at finalizing a new global climate pact on limiting fossil fuel emissions.
In 2009, a major UN climate conference in Copenhagen ended without a climate deal amid widespread disappointment.
Sunday's worldwide protest followed a US federal weather agency finding that August was the warmest month on record.
Average world temperatures stood at 16.35 degrees Celsius, according to the National Ocean and Atmosphere Administration.