Extinction Rebellion, a grass-root environment activist group, staged protest in Madrid, coinciding with the closing of the COP25 summit, at the Spanish capital. The activists dumped horse manure, staged mock hanging and stood on ice, in protest against no crucial outcome at the end of the summit. With country after country rejecting the draft agreement text by Saturday evening, the Madrid talks face the prospect of a breakdown.
Protest outside UN Climate Summit
Extinction rebellion activists dumped horse manure, with a note attached, that said "the horses*** stops here", Reuters reported. Twelve activists from the group stood on melting blocks of ice, staged mock hanging. This was to symbolize the 12 months remaining until the next summit when the Paris deal enters a make-or-break implementation phase.
"Just like rearranging deckchairs on the Titanic, this COP's fiddling of carbon accounting and negotiating of Article 6 is not commensurate to the planetary emergency we face," Extinction Rebellion said in a statement.
A protester Emma Deane told Reuters, "Even if they reach an agreement it's still not enough. This is the 25th COP they've had and nothing has really changed". This she told while standing on a block of ice, holding her daughter in her arms. "She's going to grow up in a world where there's no food on the shelves and that breaks my heart", she added.
Still, Extinction Rebellion spokesman Ronan McNern stressed the importance of humour in the face of the climate crisis."Out of s*** comes the best roses. We hope that the international community comes together to create a beautiful future," McNern said.
COP 25 on the verge of breakdown
The 25th summit of the Conference of Parties (COP) was on the verge of breakdown on Saturday evening, with country after country rejecting the draft agreement text, that was put forward on Saturday morning. Though the conference that started on December 2 at Madrid, was to conclude on December 13 (Friday); but with no probable outcome, the negotiations extended throughout Saturday, with discussions to possibly take place on Sunday, as well.
