Climate strikes: Youth activists gather worldwide to demand environmental action ahead of UN summit

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Jacob Jarvis20 September 2019

Thousands of eco activists have gathered in major cities across the globe in a bid to push governments to take more action on climate change.

Huge crowds congregated in cities such as London, New York and Berlin, inspired by teenage activist Greta Thunberg,

All united behind the joint desire to highlight the need to call for urgent "climate action", ahead of a summit at the UN next week convened by secretary-general Antonio Guterres to urge countries to up their climate efforts.

Teen activist Ms Thunberg called the large numbers of people protesting "a victory."

Jeremy Corbyn speaks at climate strike in Westminster

She said: "I would never have predicted or believed that this was going to happen someday and so fast."

She said it was now up to world leaders to take action. She said if they don't, they should "feel ashamed."

Across the UK, hundreds of thousands of people led by school children have taken part in protests.

Organisers claim that around 100,000 people have taken part in a rally in central London, with more than 20,000 thought to have marched in Edinburgh and 10,000 in Brighton.

Aerial view of London Climate Strike

In London, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn told youngsters in the crowd that "you and a whole generation have brought the issue centre stage and I am absolutely delighted about that".

He criticised US President Donald Trump and had a message for Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro that he wanted to work with him to preserve and protect the Amazon rainforest.

Green Party politician Caroline Lucas was also present and told the PA news agency: "It feels like there is a real uprising. It feels like there is a real sense from young people in particular that they simply won't wait any longer.

Activists walked with signs held aloft
Getty Images

"It is their future that is at stake and our generation, my generation is responsible for not having done nearly enough to address that.

"They have enormous moral authority when they tell us that."

Huge crowds gathered in Australia
Getty Images

Hundreds of rallies took place across Europe, including in the Czech Republic, Germany, the UK and Poland.

In Berlin, organisers said 80,000 people gathered in front of the capital's landmark Brandenburg Gate, not far from Chancellor Angela Merkel's office where the cabinet was thrashing out the final details of a plan to curb Germany's greenhouse gas emissions.

Teenage activist Greta Thunberg inspired the strikes
Getty Images

Smaller protests took place in Asia, including in Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Hong Kong and India.

Events kicked off in Australia, where protesters marched in 110 towns and cities, including Sydney and the national capital Canberra.

Demonstrators called for their country, the world's largest exporter of coal and liquid natural gas, to take more drastic action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Organisers estimate more than 300,000 protesters took to Australian streets in what would be the country's biggest demonstration since the Iraq War in 2003.

Additional reporting by agencies.