Thousands march against climate change in Madrid

Tens of thousands of people packed the streets of the Spanish capital city of Madrid at lunchtime on Sunday as they formed part of the worldwide Global March for Climate.

The march was organized by organizations such as the World Wildlife Fund, Friends of the Earth, Oxfam and many other organizations, on the eve of the Paris climate change talks.

These talks, in which China is expected to play a major role, are considered vital for the battle to stop climate change and protect the very future of the planet. That importance was reflected with marches held in around 2,000 different cities worldwide.

"The climate change talks are the most important event this year and there has to be an agreement between countries to reduce emissions... China is one of the main players at these talks and that is important for all of us as they are part of the solution," Maria Pastor of a Spanish green party told Xinhua at the Madrid march.

As well as the estimated 20,000 people in the streets of Madrid, thousands more also took to the streets in Barcelona, Valencia, Bilbao, Zaragoza, Valladolid, La Coruna, Murcia and other Spanish cities.

In the Spanish capital people marched in good humor between the emblematic Plaza de Cibeles to the aptly named Puerta del Sol and marchers were welcomed with a huge banner hung from the Madrid Town Hall, stating 'Madrid is Marching for the Climate."

The year 2015 has seen Spain suffer the warmest average temperatures since records began, with averages temperatures in July over 2 degrees centigrade above the norm, a clear sign of what is to come unless climate change is halted, while Spain is the European country which has seen the third highest increase in emissions since 1990. Endit