According to the organization, about 45,000 people were present at the climate march in The Hague on Sunday. The protest march was organized by The Climate Crisis Alliance, an alliance of, among others, Oxfam Novib, Milieudefensie, Grandparents for the Climate and the Young Climate Movement. With the protest, the organizers want to draw attention to the climate crisis. “We demand a good, livable future from the new government – for our children, for each other, for the planet we live on,” the organization writes on its website.
If the organization’s estimate is correct, it was the second largest climate march ever in the Netherlands. Sunday’s climate march will only have to take precedence over the climate march in Amsterdam on November 12, 2023. Then 85,000 people came to Museumplein in Amsterdam. Well-known climate activist Greta Thunberg was also present there in 2023 to address the protesters.
Participants of all ages took part in Sunday’s protest march. Images show demonstrators holding signs saying “save the climate” and “this road is a dead end.” The march started on Sunday on the Malieveld, after which demonstrators marched through the city center of The Hague.
Climate demonstrators gather for a climate march on the Malieveld. Just before the House of Representatives elections, the demonstrators campaigned for a more ambitious climate policy.
Photo: Koen van Weel / ANP
Climate demonstrators gather for a climate march on the Malieveld. Just before the House of Representatives elections, the demonstrators campaigned for a more ambitious climate policy.
Photo: Koen van Weel / ANP
Climate demonstrators gather for a climate march on the Malieveld. Just before the House of Representatives elections, the demonstrators campaigned for a more ambitious climate policy.
Photo: Koen van Weel / ANP
Climate demonstrators gather for a climate march on the Malieveld. Just before the House of Representatives elections, the demonstrators campaigned for a more ambitious climate policy.
Photo: Koen van Weel / ANP
Climate demonstrators gather for a climate march on the Malieveld. Just before the House of Representatives elections, the demonstrators campaigned for a more ambitious climate policy.
Photo: Koen van Weel / ANP
Climate demonstrators gather for a climate march on the Malieveld. Just before the House of Representatives elections, the demonstrators campaigned for a more ambitious climate policy.
Photo: Koen van Weel / ANP
Climate demonstrators gather for a climate march on the Malieveld. Just before the House of Representatives elections, the demonstrators campaigned for a more ambitious climate policy.
Photo: Koen van Weel / ANP
Left party politicians
A lot of political parties on the left were present at the march. Flags of Volt, GroenLinks-PvdA, Bij1, D66, the SP and the Party for the Animals could be seen on the Malieveld. Right-wing parties did not seem to be present.
Several party leaders leave the NOS are concerned about the climate crisis. “It is not good that the subject is hardly discussed in debates and the media. It is wonderful to see that all these people want action from the government,” said Esther Ouwehand, party leader of the Party for the Animals. GroenLinks-PvdA leader Frans Timmermans also states that the climate crisis is “the greatest crisis that humanity has ever had to tackle.”
D66 party leader Rob Jetten emphasized to the NOS on Sunday that the Netherlands can still achieve the climate target. “In recent years, climate policy has come to a standstill. We have previously shown that we can do very great things with a broad political center.” Volt leader Laurens Dassen said on Sunday that “climate must come first” because it is “one of the greatest challenges of our time.”
NEW: Give this item as a gift
As an NRC subscriber you can subscribe every month 10 items give as a gift to someone without an NRC subscription. The recipient can read the article directly, without a paywall.