On 10 May 2025, climate activists in Cambridge, UK, held a symbolic funeral mourning the demise of the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C global warming target.
Organised by Extinction Rebellion Cambridge, alongside groups like Greenpeace and the Organisation of Radical Cambridge Activists (ORCA), the procession featured 50 ‘Red Rebels’ performers in striking red attire with white-painted faces, leading a solemn march through the city.
A black coffin labelled ‘1.5°C Is Dead’ underscored the gravity of the message.
Grieving the Planet
The demonstration responded to the alarming breach of the 1.5°C threshold in 2024, marking the hottest year on record. Though a sustained exceedance over a decade is required for formal acknowledgment, many scientists now consider the target unattainable. This breach signifies a failure to prevent climate tipping points that could lead to irreversible environmental damage.
Participants gathered at Christ’s Pieces park, where they engaged in speeches, poetry, and music, expressing collective grief and a renewed commitment to climate action. Alex Martin of Extinction Rebellion Cambridge emphasized the need for communal spaces to process the magnitude of this loss and to strategize responses to the escalating climate crisis.
The UK’s role in this context is pivotal. Despite being a signatory to the Paris Agreement, the nation faces criticism for insufficient action in curbing fossil fuel emissions. Activists like Olympic gold medalist Etienne Stott advocate for a complete societal transformation to avert further climate catastrophes. The upcoming COP30 summit in Belém, Brazil, presents an opportunity for the UK and other nations to recommit to more aggressive climate policies.
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