'Beautiful': 400,000 March in NYC for Climate Action

An estimated 400,000 people flooded the streets of New York City on Sunday for the historic People's Climate March, billed as the largest demonstration of its kind in history, organized by more than 1,500 organizations including indigenous, faith, labor, environmental justice, social justice, youth, and climate activism groups.

The march was at least four times the size of pre-march estimates, which stood at 100,000.

"We said it would take everyone to change everything -- and everyone showed up," said Eddie Bautista, Executive Director of the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance.

In a statement, 350.org organizer Jamie Henn said, "Today people from the communities where fossil fuels are dug up marched alongside people who live where they are burned. Thousands of workers, the people who stand ready to build a clean, renewable energy system, walked alongside indigenous communities that are already leading with their own climate solutions."

The day, Henn added, was "beautiful in a way we couldn't have imagined."

Simultaneously, over 2,000 events took place in 156 countries across the globe, bringing hundreds of thousands more participants.

The goals of the New York march were lofty: "With our future on the line and the whole world watching, we'll take a stand to bend the course of history. We'll take to the streets to demand the world we know is within our reach: a world with an economy that works for people and the planet; a world safe from the ravages of climate change; a world with good jobs, clean air and water, and healthy communities."

Common Dreams spoke to climate activist Bill McKibben, co-founder of 350.org, at a press conference before the march. "You know what, this is the most important place in the world right now," he said.