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Climate protests ahead of summit Climate protests ahead of summit
(10 minutes later)
Demonstrations are to be held around the UK and in the Irish Republic later to demand action on climate change ahead of the Copenhagen summit.Demonstrations are to be held around the UK and in the Irish Republic later to demand action on climate change ahead of the Copenhagen summit.
Protesters in London, Belfast, Glasgow and Dublin want world leaders to reach a tough new deal on cutting emissions.Protesters in London, Belfast, Glasgow and Dublin want world leaders to reach a tough new deal on cutting emissions.
The protests come as the Met Office prepares to publish the raw figures it uses to assess man-made global warming.The protests come as the Met Office prepares to publish the raw figures it uses to assess man-made global warming.
It follows a row, dubbed "Climategate", about the reliability of data from the University of East Anglia.It follows a row, dubbed "Climategate", about the reliability of data from the University of East Anglia.
Last month, hundreds of emails from the university's Climatic Research Unit were leaked onto the internet, prompting claims that scientists manipulated data on global warming to strengthen the argument that it is man-made.Last month, hundreds of emails from the university's Climatic Research Unit were leaked onto the internet, prompting claims that scientists manipulated data on global warming to strengthen the argument that it is man-made.
Now the Met Office has written to 188 countries for permission to publish material, dating back 160 years from more than 1,000 weather stations around the world, which it says proves climate change is caused by humans.Now the Met Office has written to 188 countries for permission to publish material, dating back 160 years from more than 1,000 weather stations around the world, which it says proves climate change is caused by humans.
Climate campClimate camp
On Saturday, a series of climate change events known collectively as The Wave are due to take place in London.On Saturday, a series of climate change events known collectively as The Wave are due to take place in London.
At Westminster Central Hall an ecumenical service began at 1100 GMT, featuring an address by Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams and Archbishop Vincent Nichols, head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales.At Westminster Central Hall an ecumenical service began at 1100 GMT, featuring an address by Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams and Archbishop Vincent Nichols, head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales.
Organisers said religious leaders were taking part in the action because they "recognise unequivocally that there is a moral imperative to tackle the causes of global warming".Organisers said religious leaders were taking part in the action because they "recognise unequivocally that there is a moral imperative to tackle the causes of global warming".
Mr Brown can help inspire a fair, effective and binding international deal at Copenhagen Ashok Sinha, Stop Climate Chaos Climate protesters in 'Wave' demo Mr Brown can help inspire a fair, effective and binding international deal at Copenhagen Ashok Sinha, Stop Climate Chaos href="/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/glasgow_and_west/8395914.stm">Glasgow march ahead of Copenhagen class="" href="/2/hi/in_depth/wales/2009/green_wales/8395624.stm">Climate protesters in 'Wave' demo
Up to 3,000 Christians from around the UK were expected to attend the service and the main protest afterwards.Up to 3,000 Christians from around the UK were expected to attend the service and the main protest afterwards.
They will join environmental campaigners, aid agencies, trade unions and organisations including the Women's Institute, who are expected to gather for a rally close to the US embassy in Grosvenor Square at 1200 GMT.They will join environmental campaigners, aid agencies, trade unions and organisations including the Women's Institute, who are expected to gather for a rally close to the US embassy in Grosvenor Square at 1200 GMT.
They will then march to the Houses of Parliament.They will then march to the Houses of Parliament.
Later, members of the Camp for Climate Action say they are planning to camp at an as-yet secret location somewhere in the capital.Later, members of the Camp for Climate Action say they are planning to camp at an as-yet secret location somewhere in the capital.
The Stop Climate Chaos coalition, which includes Oxfam, Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth, is also organising demonstrations in Belfast, Glasgow and Dublin in the Irish Republic.The Stop Climate Chaos coalition, which includes Oxfam, Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth, is also organising demonstrations in Belfast, Glasgow and Dublin in the Irish Republic.
Director Ashok Sinha said: "We will call on Gordon Brown to make Copenhagen count by committing rich countries to reduce their emissions by at least 40% in the next 10 years, finally putting the right sort of money on the table to help poor countries, and urgently start the process of decarbonising our energy supply.Director Ashok Sinha said: "We will call on Gordon Brown to make Copenhagen count by committing rich countries to reduce their emissions by at least 40% in the next 10 years, finally putting the right sort of money on the table to help poor countries, and urgently start the process of decarbonising our energy supply.
"With bold leadership at home, Mr Brown can help inspire a fair, effective and binding international deal at Copenhagen.""With bold leadership at home, Mr Brown can help inspire a fair, effective and binding international deal at Copenhagen."
Downing Street has said the prime minister is "unequivocal" about the scientific case for action against climate change.Downing Street has said the prime minister is "unequivocal" about the scientific case for action against climate change.
He will join Barack Obama in Copenhagen next week, after the US President announced that he had changed his plans and would now attend the end of the conference.He will join Barack Obama in Copenhagen next week, after the US President announced that he had changed his plans and would now attend the end of the conference.
There will be people who don't want the world to make those big decisions Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband This is not an issue of whether we are confident or not in the figures for the trend in global warming John Mitchell, Met Office
Ahead of the summit, Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband took part in "the first ever ministerial mass phone call" on Saturday, after inviting questions from the public via his website, Ed's Pledge.Ahead of the summit, Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband took part in "the first ever ministerial mass phone call" on Saturday, after inviting questions from the public via his website, Ed's Pledge.
'Big political decisions''Big political decisions'
The Met Office's database is a main source of analysis for the UN's climate change science body, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which joins talks next week at the long-awaited Copenhagen summit.The Met Office's database is a main source of analysis for the UN's climate change science body, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which joins talks next week at the long-awaited Copenhagen summit.
A Met Office spokesman said it had already planned to publish the material long before the "Climategate" controversy broke, but admitted the e-mail row had made the whole exercise more urgent. John Mitchell, head of climate science at the Met Office, told the BBC the evidence for man-made global warming was overwhelming - and the planned release of data would show that.
The spokesman denied reports that government ministers had tried to block the publication. "So this is not an issue of whether we are confident or not in the figures for the trend in global warming, it's more about being open and transparent," he said.
The Met Office said it had already planned to publish the material long before "Climategate" and denied reports that government ministers had tried to block the publication.
Mr Miliband told the BBC he would be "very surprised" if there had been any wrongdoing on the part of the scientists involved in "Climategate".Mr Miliband told the BBC he would be "very surprised" if there had been any wrongdoing on the part of the scientists involved in "Climategate".
"We're in a moment when the world is about to make some big political decisions," he said."We're in a moment when the world is about to make some big political decisions," he said.
"And there will be people who don't want the world to make those big decisions and they are trying to use this in part to say somehow this is all in doubt and perhaps we should put the whole thing off."And there will be people who don't want the world to make those big decisions and they are trying to use this in part to say somehow this is all in doubt and perhaps we should put the whole thing off.
"Well, I just think they're wrong about that.""Well, I just think they're wrong about that."
Barbara Stocking, chief executive of Oxfam, said world leaders must do more to help those in developing countries cope with the effects of global warming.
"For poor people climate change is not something in the future. Climate change is hitting them now," she told the BBC.