Around 300 people took part in a demonstration on Place Jean Rey on Sunday, according to figures from the Belga news agency.
They called on Belgian and European politicians to make more effort to protect the climate.
“The European Central Bank is going to invest €240 billion in the economy. But there’s no money for a climate bank?” the protestors cried. The protest was organised by the Rise for Climate movement.
“Thousands of people took to the streets on Friday,” the organisers told the crowd. “It was on the front page of all the newspapers. That’s good, but it’s not enough. We want concrete measures from the Belgian and European authorities. Belgium still has 100 days from today to come up with an ambitious climate plan. The previous one was totally unsatisfactory. It was a jumble of isolated measures with no overall plan. That has to change.”
The protestors clapped 100 times to reiterate the 100-day deadline during Sunday’s demonstration.
They also criticised European authorities’ attitude towards the climate emergency. “They claim the climate is a priority, but the European environmental budget is going to fall by 1.3% over the next few years,” organisers say.
The demonstrators want the €240 billion the Central European Bank is planning to invest in the economy to be put towards the climate instead. That could also create jobs.
The organisers appealed for the creation of a climate bank with a capital of €300 billion, as well as a ban on private banks investing in fossil fuels.
The Brussels Times
