Ban Ki-moon, Ségolène Royale, Laurent Fabius, Al Gore and Manuel Pulgar Vidal, Jane Goodall and Bill De Blasio link arms in climate action solidarity.

By Roger Hamilton-Martin and Gloria Schiavi
NEW YORK, Sep 22 2014 (IPS) — On Sunday, Sep. 21, at least 300,000 people filled the streets of New York City ahead of the U.N. General Assembly and special one-day Climate Summit Sep. 23 to protest the ongoing lack of political will to cut global CO2 emissions and kick-start a greener economy. They came by bus and bike and train. They came with their kids — some in strollers, others old enough to proudly carry signs. By afternoon, it had become clear that the march in New York was the biggest climate-change gathering in history. Protesters also turned out in more than 150 other cities around the world.

Asked what message participants wished to convey to global leaders at the U.N. Summit, we were told: “Lead!”

IPS correspondents Roger Hamilton Martin and Gloria Schiavi attended the march. Here’s a few of the scenes and famous personalities they encountered.