Thu Nov 07 17:40:06 UTC 2024: ## Fishermen and Tribals Protest Gas Expansion in Visakhapatnam, Demanding Climate Action
**Visakhapatnam, India (November 7, 2024):** Over 100 fishermen and tribal community members staged a unique protest off the Visakhapatnam coast on Thursday, demanding a halt to gas expansion projects they see as a threat to the environment and a violation of the Paris Agreement on climate change.
The protest, organized by the NGO Mines, Minerals & PEOPLE (MM&P) on behalf of several international organizations, saw participants in 10 fishing boats displaying placards calling for “Stop Gas Expansion,” “Stop Financing Natural Gas,” and “No to Gas & LNG.”
MM&P chairperson Ravi Rebbapragada emphasized that the protest was part of a global movement, with similar demonstrations taking place along India’s west coast and in other countries.
“The Paris Agreement aims to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius by the end of the century,” Rebbapragada stated. “Despite this urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, gas projects are expanding at an alarming rate. Gas is not a transition fuel; it is harmful to the planet, toxic to humans, and expensive. We need to move towards renewable energy solutions.”
The protest underscores the growing concern about the impact of fossil fuel expansion on climate change and the growing calls for a transition to renewable energy sources.
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