A force of over 275 people, many arriving by bicycle, made their voices heard yesterday at the International Day of Climate Action Rally on the Minnesota State Capitol lawn. They joined with millions participating in thousands of 350.org actions held in 181 countries, all on October 24, calling on carbon emissions to be cut to 350 ppm in order to curb the devastating effects of climate change.The crowd at the Minnesota State Capitol was pumped up by the band Absolute Gruv and warmed up by Peace Coffee. Guests addressing the rally were Senator Klobuchar's Deputy Chief of Staff Jake Spano, Congressman Keith Ellison, State Senator Ellen Anderson, State Representative Jeremy Kalin, State Representative Kate Knuth, and Congresswoman Betty McCollum. Speeches urged the US Senate to pass the Kerry-Boxer Bill and called on the Administration to be a leader at the Copenhagen International Climate Summit. The audience was asked to stay engaged and active. Click here for photos from the capitol.
"Climate change is going to widen the gap between the global rich and the global poor. And we know it will be worst for those who contributed the least to the problem," declared Congresswoman McCollum, an Oxfam America Sisters on the Planet Ambassador. This 'human face' is the focus of Oxfam's climate change campaign and the reason that climate change legislation must include substantial funding for international adaptation. Watch Congresswoman McCollum's complete remarks on climate change and justice here.Read more about the rally from the Minnesota Daily. The International Day of Climate Action Rally at the Minnesota State Capitol was sponsored and organized by Augsburg College, Oxfam America, Will Steger Foundation, and 1Sky.
