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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 17 sepTember 2019
Big global climate protests on Friday get union support

BERLIN (AP) — Hundreds of nounced Monday that it fa-
thousands of people are vors establishing a national
expected to join world- emissions trading system to
wide demonstrations this reduce the amount of CO2
week ahead of a U.N. cli- and other greenhouse gas-
mate summit in New York, es released into the atmo-
as unions and some busi- sphere, while providing fi-
nesses lend their support nancial incentives for peo-
for faster action to fight cli- ple to switch to low-carbon
mate change. cars and heating systems.
Organizers said Monday The center-left Social Dem-
that more than 800 events ocrats, the junior partners
were planned in the United in Merkel's coalition, have
States for Friday's "global instead called for a tax on
climate strike," while in Ger- carbon that would then be
many over 400 rallies have redistributed to avoid hit-
been registered. Cam- ting the poor the hardest.
paigners are also staging Frank Bsirske, the head of
protests in most other Euro- Germany's service industry
pean countries, Australia, union ver.di, said current
Japan, India, South Africa, scenarios for future climate
Canada and dozens of change are "dystopian"
other locations. It follows a and could lead to drastic
similar coordinated protest sea level rises, putting large
in March that drew many Activists protest during a rally outside the White House in Washington, Friday, Sept. 13, 2019. parts of the country under-
tens of thousands around Associated Press water.
the world. "Even if the extent of glob-
"This is an important signal," demonstrations will take come an increasingly im- measure s that would put al warming is on a smaller
said Antje von Broock, a place just days before the portant issue for voters in the country on course to scale, it's still dramatic
spokeswoman for a broad U.N. climate summit, where recent years, particularly cut its emissions 55% by enough to warrant pro-
alliance comprising some leaders will present their in Europe. In Germany, 2030 compared with 1990 tecting the climate," said
200 environmental, youth long-term plans for curbing Chancellor Angela Merkel's levels. Bsirske, whose union is urg-
and church groups in Ger- greenhouse gas emissions. government plans to an- Merkel's center-right Chris- ing members to join the cli-
many, noting that the Climate change has be- nounce a package of tian Democratic Union an- mate protest.q

French professionals join forces to protest pension changes

By SYLVIE CORBET profession.
CLAIRE PARKER "This puts in danger the
Associated Press economic model of law-
PARIS (AP) — Thousands yers, and for the youth, it
of French professionals, in- worries them because in
cluding lawyers and doc- effect it will be very hard
tors, took to the streets of to establish themselves in a
Paris Monday in a new firm."
protest against the govern- Nurses, podiatrists and oth-
ment's planned pension er health workers dressed
changes. in white coats marched
The protest saw lawyers, alongside the lawyers, ex-
doctors, nurses and oth- pressing the same fears.
ers in regulated profes- Céline Ciriani, a podia-
sions vent their displeasure trist in the Paris suburb of
at the proposed changes Cormeilles-en-Parisis, said
that President Emmanuel the new pension system
Macron's government says "will make us lose a lot and
will simplify France's convo- could eventually cause of-
luted pensions system. The fices to close because we
government has promised don't have enough money
the legal retirement age of to pay our expenses."
62 won't change, but new Lawyers march during a protest against the planned pension change in Paris, Monday, Sept. 16, Macron's government ar-
conditions may encourage 2019. gues that the indebted
people to work longer. Associated Press pension system is long over-
A large majority of those due for streamlining.
protesting Monday were ters' robes, they marched in not to plead any cases and law firms to shutter because But there is growing oppo-
lawyers, since the National Paris' central streets singing asked for trials to be post- of higher taxes. sition to the government's
Bar Council, which initiated "no, no, no to the Macron poned. Anne-Laure-Hélène des proposals, which will re-
the demonstration, claims reform," some waving post- Some demonstrators Ylouses, a lawyer in the place the 42 different re-
the proposed changes will ers reading "No to the pen- warned that provinces out- Paris area, raised concerns tirement systems currently
double the taxes its mem- sion tax." side of Paris would suffer that the new retirement linked to certain jobs with
bers pay. Most lawyers across France most from the reforms, that system would deter young a new, unified pension
Wearing their black barris- were on strike and decided would see some smaller people from entering the scheme. q