Christmas climate change rally to mark Paris treaty

Hackney Town Hall

In the wake of Conservative councillor Harvey Odze praising Donald Trump for calling climate change a “Chinese hoax”, Hackney campaigners are to protest against the council “dragging its feet” over its £42m fossil fuel investments.

The event will take place at Hackney Town Hall Square from 2pm on 10 December, marking a year since Britain signed the Paris climate deal negotiated by 195 countries.

Nine pressure groups, including organisers Campaign Against Climate Change (CACC), will join forces to demand Hackney Council pulls its pension fund out of “climate-destructive fossil fuel companies”.

In September, the council postponed a decision on whether to dump its fossil fuel stocks until next year.

CACC’s Richard Payne said: “It should divest like neighbouring Waltham Forest now.”

Demonstrators will also call on Barclays Bank – which has a branch near the square – to “stop funding fossil fuel industries and invest in housing and clean, renewable energy”, and urge the government to end its “dangerous energy policy” by banning fracking and reversing cuts to green projects.

Payne added: “Santa’s arctic retreat is melting down – in some parts it is a shocking 20C above the norm. We’re calling on the government to stop retreating from the agreements it signed last year in Paris.”