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IN PICTURES: Tens of thousands march for the climate in France

AFP/The Local
AFP/The Local - [email protected]
IN PICTURES: Tens of thousands march for the climate in France
People take part in a "Look up" march, to call on the presidential candidates to take into account the climate emergency, which protesters say is largely absent from the election campaign in Toulouse on March 12th 2022.  (Photo by FRED SCHEIBER / AFP)

Tens of thousands of people protested across France Saturday to call for more attention to the climate crisis in the run-up to presidential polls next month.

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"Look up," read one message in giant orange letters demonstrators held up in Paris, urging politicians to make protecting the planet a priority.

Protesters hold placards during a "Look up" march in Paris on March 12th, 2022. (Photo by Alain JOCARD / AFP)

The sign was a nod to Netflix hit "Don't Look Up", in which astronomers who discover a comet will wipe out the earth try in vain to get politicians to take the threat seriously.

"When are we going to talk about it?" read another sign.

"When are we going to talk about it?" (On en parle quand?) read several of the placards at the Paris "Look Up" protest on March 12th, 2022. (Photo by Alain JOCARD / AFP)
 

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The climate crisis took up only 1.5 percent of talking points in media coverage of the election campaign from February 28th to March 6th, a recent survey by climate justice NGOs has found.

Protests took place around the country, with some 32,000 people taking part in Paris, where this photo was taken. (Photo by Alain JOCARD / AFP)

Organisers said 80,000 protesters took part across the country, including 32,000 people in Paris. The interior ministry however said just around 40,000 demonstrated, of whom 11,000 in the capital.

People turned out in force for a "Look up" march in Toulouse on March 12th, 2022. (Photo by FRED SCHEIBER / AFP)

In the northern city of Lille, Lydie Lampin Bernand described the climate crisis as "worse than critical.

"I'm only 34 years old, and even I've seen the planet slapped in the face with a shovel," she said.

"We have to protect the land we'll leave to our children," she added, but politicians had not so far shown they were up to tackling the challenge.

READ ALSO: FACT CHECK: How committed is France to tackling environmental issues?

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