In NYC and elsewhere, climate protesters say pace of change isn't fast enough

NEW YORK (AP) — Six years after a teenage Greta Thunberg walked out of school in a solitary climate protest outside of the Swedish parliament, people around a warming globe marched in youth-led protest, saying their voices are being heard but not sufficiently acted upon.

Emissions of heat-trapping gases and temperatures have been rising and oil and gas drilling has continued even as the protests that kicked off major weeklong climate events in New York City have become annual events. This year, they come days before the United Nations convenes two special summits, one concentrating on sea level rise and the other on the future.

The young people who organized these marches with Fridays for Future said there is frustration with inaction but also hope. People marched in Berlin, Rio de Janeiro, New Delhi and elsewhere, but the focus often is in New York City because of Climate Week NYC. Diplomats, business leaders and activists are concentrating their discussions on the money end of fighting climate change — something not lost on protesters.

“We hope that the government and the financial sector make polluters pay for the damage that they have imposed on our environment,” said Uganda Fridays for Future founder Hilda Flavia Nakabuye, who was among a few hundred marching in New York Friday, a far cry from the tens of thousands that protested in a multi-group mega-rally in 2023.

The New York protest wants to take aim at “the pillars of fossil fuels” — companies that pollute, banks that fund them, and leaders who are failing on climate, said Helen Mancini, an organizer and a senior at the city’s Stuyvesant High School.

“A lot of older people want to make sure the economy is intact and that's their main concern,” said Julia Demairo, a sophomore at Pace University. “I think worrying about the future and the environment is worrying about the economy.”

On a day that was at least 8 degrees warmer than average, protest signs included “This is not what we mean by Hot Girl Summer," while others focused on the theme of fighting the coal, oil and gas industries: “Youth Didn't Vote for Fossil Fuels,” “Don't Be a Fossil Fool” and “Climate Crisis = Extermination By Capitalism."

Nakabuye said she was in New York to represent Uganda “that is bearing the brunt of the climate crisis.”

“We feel like we are creating an impact in the community. However, we are not listened to enough; there is more that needs to be done, especially right now when the climate catastrophes are intensifying,” said Nakabuye . “We need to even raise our voices more to demand change and to demand that fuels should end."

In the six years since Thunberg founded what became Fridays for Future, global carbon dioxide emissions from the burning of fossil fuels has increased by about 2.15%, according to Global Carbon Project, a group of scientists who monitor carbon pollution. The growth of emissions has slowed compared to previous decades and experts anticipate peaking soon, but that's a far cry from the 43% reduction that a UN report said is needed to keep temperature increases to an agreed-upon limit.

Since 2019, carbon dioxide emissions from coal have increased by nearly 1 billion tons (900 million metric tons), while natural gas emissions have increased slightly and oil pollution has dropped a tiny amount, according to the International Energy Agency. That growth has been driven by China, India and developing nations.

But emissions from advanced or industrialized economies have been falling and in 2023 were the lowest in more than 50 years, according to the IEA. Coal emissions in rich countries are down to levels seen around the year 1900, and the United Kingdom next month is set to shutter its last coal plant.

In the past five years, clean energy sources have grown twice as fast as fossil fuels, with both solar and wind individually growing faster than fossil fuel-based electricity, according to the IEA. Developing countries — where more than 80% of the world population lives — say that they need financial help to curb their increasing use of fossil fuels.

Since 2018, Earth has warmed more than half a degree Fahrenheit (0.29 degrees Celsius) with last year setting a record for the hottest year and this year poised to break that mark, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the European climate agency Copernicus.

“We're making progress, even if it's slow progress,” said 17-year-old Ashen Harper of Connecticut, a veteran protester turned organizer. “Our job right now is to accelerate that progress.”

In Berlin, hundreds of people took to the streets although in fewer numbers than in previous years. Activists held up signs saying “Save the Climate” and “Coal is Over!” as they watched a gig put on outside the German Chancellor’s Office. Protesters in London held up letters spelling out “Pay Up,” calling for the country to pay more to adapt to climate change and transition away from fossil fuels.

Associated Press journalist David Keyton in Berlin contributed to this report.

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A girl holds a banner with a message that reads in Portuguese: "Stop setting fires in nature", during a global climate protest in Brasilia, Brazil, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Protesters carry placards as they cross the Brooklyn Bridge during a Youth Climate Strike march to demand an end to the era of fossil fuels, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)

Protesters cross the Brooklyn Bridge during a Youth Climate Strike march to demand an end to the era of fossil fuels, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)

Protesters carry placards as they cross the Brooklyn Bridge during a Youth Climate Strike march to demand an end to the era of fossil fuels, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)

People demonstrate with a sign reading "stop fossil fuels" in the City of Bochum, western Germany, as they take part in a Global Climate Strike protest of the Fridays For Future movement on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Protesters cross the Brooklyn Bridge during a Youth Climate Strike march to demand an end to the era of fossil fuels, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)

A girl takes part in a Fridays for Future protest in Frankfurt, Germany, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

Protesters shout slogans as they cross the Brooklyn Bridge during a Youth Climate Strike march to demand an end to the era of fossil fuels, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)

A kid holds a placard during a Fridays for Future protest in Frankfurt, Germany, Friday Sept. 20, 2024. (Boris Roessler/dpa via AP)

People demonstrate for the the 1.5 Celsius Climate threshold in the City of Bochum, western Germany, as they take part in a Global Climate Strike protest of the Fridays For Future movement on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

People demonstrate in the City of Bochum, western Germany, as they take part in a Global Climate Strike protest of the Fridays For Future movement on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Demonstrators of the Fridays For Future movement march through the government district near the chancellery, background left, as they take part in a Global Climate Strike in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

Activists shout slogans during a Global Climate Strike protest of the Fridays For Future' movement demanding immediate climate action from policymakers in New Delhi, India, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Protestors show placards as they take part in a Global Climate Strike protest of the Fridays For Future' movement near the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

A man works on a painting as he takes part in a Global Climate Strike protest of the Fridays For Future movement near the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

Activists shout slogans during a Global Climate Strike protest of the Fridays For Future' movement demanding immediate climate action from policymakers in New Delhi, India, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Demonstrators walk across Munich's Königsplatz with a placard reading "Stop fossil subsidies" during Fridays for Future protest in Munich, Germany, Friday Sept. 20, 2024. (Felix Hörhager/dpa via AP)

Protesters hold letters and shout during a global week of action for climate finance and a fossil free future protest in London, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024.(AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

Students hold placards as they take part in a Global Climate Strike protest, part of the Fridays For Future movement, near the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

A demonstrator holds a placard reading "Politics - Climate - Change" during a Fridays for Future protest in Munich, Germany, Friday Sept. 20, 2024. (Felix Hörhager/dpa via AP)

Demonstrators walk across Munich's Königsplatz with a placard reading "Stop fossil subsidies" during Fridays for Future protest in Munich, Germany, Friday Sept. 20, 2024. (Felix Hörhager/dpa via AP)

Protestors show posters as they take part in a Global Climate Strike protest of the Fridays For Future' movement near the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

Protestors show placards as they take part in a Global Climate Strike protest of the Fridays For Future' movement near the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

A demonstrator dressed in a Spiderman costume takes part in a march calling on the government to take stronger action to control fires in the country's Amazon region, in Lima, Peru, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Guadalupe Pardo)

Demonstrators march calling on the government to take stronger action to control fires in the country's Amazon region, in Lima, Peru, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Guadalupe Pardo)

FILE - Environmental activist Greta Thunberg shouts slogans during the Oily Money Out protest outside the Intercontinental Hotel, in London, Oct. 17, 2023. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)

FILE - Environmental activists including Greta Thunberg, center left, marches with other demonstrators during the Oily Money Out protest at Canary Wharf, in London, Oct. 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)

FILE - Climate activists attend a rally to end fossil fuels, in New York, Sept. 17, 2023. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston, File)

A man works on a painting as he takes part in a Global Climate Strike protest of the Fridays For Future movement near the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

Protesters hold letters and shout during a global week of action for climate finance and a fossil free future protest in London, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024.(AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

Florida residents began repairing damage from Hurricane Milton, which smashed through coastal communities and tore homes to pieces, flooded streets and spawned a deadly tornadoes.

At least nine people are dead, but many expressed relief that Milton wasn’t worse.

Follow AP’s coverage of tropical weather at https://apnews.com/hub/hurricanes.

Here’s the latest:

FEMA Deputy Director Erik Hooks said he believes reforms implemented at the start of this year have allowed for greater and faster access to disaster aid compared to years past.

“What we have seen is with our changes in our (individual assistance) program is really to break down the complexity, and we really went through a lot of internal work to make sure that we are truly meeting people where they are,” Hooks said in an interview with The Associated Press.

“The ability to have upfront money put in people’s hands who have applied for assistance, and to get them jump started on the recovery for those immediate needs, things that are really life-sustaining to be able to get water make medicines that look like that, I think they have a positive impact on those communities, especially those communities where those are cash strapped to begin with, and then suffer the impacts of the storm,” he added.

President Joe Biden said ahead of a Friday briefing about hurricane damage that estimates are that Hurricane Milton alone caused $50 billion of damage. He also said his predecessor, former President Donald Trump, is “just the biggest mouth” for disinformation about the government’s response.

The president added that the disinformation is a “permanent state of being for some extreme people,” but that he belives the country as a whole wants facts and bipartisan cooperation to address natural disasters.

An apartment complex in Clearwater was evacuated early Thursday when water from a canal started rising.

Residents were gathered in a shopping center parking lot as crews worked to clear the property Friday.

Jared Lynch, 32, said he was at home on his first floor apartment when the water started to rise Wednesday night.

“It wasn’t that bad at 10 o’clock, but that’s when it started rising,” he said, adding that by 2 a.m., the water was up to his doorknobs. That’s when he left.

“There were literally people walking through the water with baskets on their heads. It was the craziest thing I’ve ever seen,” Lynch said.

But Deanne Criswell says FEMA will need additional funding at some point.

Criswell says the agency is keeping account every day of how much they’re drawing from the disaster assistance fund. That’s a pot of money allocated specifically to help the agency respond to emergencies across the country.

The fund gets replenished every year by Congress and is used to pay for recovery from hurricanes, floods, earthquakes and other disasters.

Congress recently replenished the fund with $20 billion — the same amount FEMA got last year. About $8 billion of that is set aside for recovery from previous storms and mitigation projects.

Criswell says the fund won’t have enough money to last through the entire fiscal year, which stretches to September of next year. She says at some point, they’ll have to go back to Congress to ask for a boost to the disaster relief fund.

“We will need one. It’s just a matter of when,” she said.

Mayor Lynne Matthews spoke at a news conference Friday with FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and the city’s manager, Gregory B. Murray.

Matthews says 121 people had to be rescued after Hurricane Helene made landfall Sept. 26 but rescuers only had to save three people after Milton came through.

“So people listened to the evacuation order,” Matthews said.

“I know we had teams out with the megaphones going through all of our mobile home communities and other places to let people know that they needed to evacuate,” she said.

Bruce Kinsler, 68, was part of a Polk County “push crew” that began clearing roads before 6 a.m. on Thursday. A truck struck Kinsler as he and a coworker were trying to clear a tree that had fallen across the road as the storm passed through the area. The driver of the truck was a county employee who was arriving to join Kinsler for post-storm recovery work.

“The tragedy of this incident is compounded by the fact that Bruce Kinsler was killed serving the residents of this county,” said Bill Braswell, chairman of the Polk County Commission. “We ask a lot of the employees as public servants, and they respond to the call. For this to happen is just a tragedy.”

The White House announced Biden’s visit but did not detail exactly where the president will travel.

Biden was scheduled to be briefed by aides Friday afternoon on the federal response and recovery in the aftermath of Hurricanes Milton and Helene. He’ll then deliver remarks from the White House to update the public about those efforts.

One of those Friday was a large pig stuck in high water at a strip mall in Lithia, FLorida, which is east of Tampa. Cindy Evers led the rescue of the pig and she’s also saved a donkey and several goats.

The animals are being taken to Evers’ farm for the time being.

“I’m high and dry where I’m at and I have a barn and nine acres,” she said. “So we have plenty of room for these animals to be safe.” Evers said she’ll figure out next steps later, such as finding the animals' owners.

Gov. DeSantis noted interactions with downed power lines and water.

“We are seeing hazards that are still there,” he said. He said people should take care around standing water and should use generators properly.

“You have to make the proper decisions and know that there are hazards out there,” he said.

Human-caused climate change intensified deadly Hurricane Milton ’s rainfall by 20 to 30% and strengthened its winds by about 10%, scientists said in a new flash study. The analysis comes just two weeks after Hurricane Helene devastated the southeastern United States, a storm also fueled by climate change.

World Weather Attribution researchers said Friday that without climate change, a hurricane like Milton would make landfall as a weaker Category 2, not considered a “major” storm, instead of a Category 3.

WWA’s rapid studies aren’t peer-reviewed but use peer-reviewed methods. The WWA compares a weather event with what might have been expected in a world that hasn’t warmed about 1.3 degree Celsius since pre-industrial times.

▶ Read more about how climate change affected Milton.

Only authorized personnel are allowed on the bases. There was damage and flooding at MacDill, which is home to U.S. Central Command and Special Operations Command.

There's no significant damage at Patrick and teams are working to restore critical infrastructure, according to the Air Force.

The river is 25 miles (40 kilometers) long and runs from eastern Hillsborough County, east of Tampa, into Tampa Bay.

The sheriff’s office asked people to call 911 if they need help getting out of their homes.

A pair of unwelcome and destructive guests named Helene and Milton have stormed their way into this year’s presidential election.

The back-to-back hurricanes have jumbled the schedules of Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump, both of whom devoted part of their Thursdays to tackling questions about the storm recovery effort.

The two hurricanes are forcing basic questions about who as president would best respond to deadly natural disasters, a once-overlooked issue that has become an increasingly routine part of the job. And just weeks before the Nov. 5 election, the storms have disrupted the mechanics of voting in several key counties.

A pick up drives past a guard gate on a flooded street in Siesta Key, Fla., following the passage Hurricane Milton, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

FILE - People are rescued from an apartment complex after flooding in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, Oct. 10, 2024, in Clearwater, Fla. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart, File)

FILE - A house sits toppled off its stilts after the passage of Hurricane Milton, alongside an empty lot where a home was swept away by Hurricane Helene, in Bradenton Beach on Anna Maria Island, Fla., Oct. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell, File)