More than 400 demonstrations and protests for more actions on climate change have been planned around the globe from Friday to Sunday, with millions of people expected to take part.

On Monday, the Climate Action Network announced that the protesters would be demanding an exit from coal, oil and gas as soon as possible. The protests are also aimed at a climate summit on September 20 in New York hosted by UN secretary general António Guterres.

About 780 organisations, including Greenpeace, Extinction Rebellion and Friends of the Earth, are behind the protests.

In Germany, a climate activist movement, Fridays for Future, has called for a “global climate strike’’ on Sept. 15, with dozens of demonstrations planned.

Climate Action Network Director Tasneem Essop said that July was the hottest month since weather records began but unprecedented recent deadly disasters resulting from global warming were making no impression on major polluters.

She said countries like Norway, the U.S. and Britain have announced new oil and gas projects.

She said planned demonstrations would be a loud message to the fossil fuel industry and its supporters that their time was up.

Given the record global temperatures in 2023, Mr Guterres, last week, called for more ambition in the fight against climate change to prevent the ‘worst climate chaos’.

All major emitters must make additional efforts to reduce climate-damaging emissions.

Despite the international community’s promises of action on climate change, global emissions reached a new high in 2022, according to figures from the International Energy Agency.

The world has already warmed by about 1.1 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times. The past eight years have been the warmest since weather records began. 

(dpa/NAN)