Ahead of the United Nations climate change summit in Paris beginning November 30, demonstrations are being planned around the world to pressure world leaders to negotiate a binding pact to curb global warming. Thousands of protesters marched in Melbourne on Friday, calling for a phase-out of fossil fuels blamed for climate-altering greenhouse gas emissions. NGO organisers in Paris said they expected street marches on Saturday in Manila, Tokyo, Johannesburg and Edinburgh, with similar events planned for Sunday in Seoul, Rio de Janeiro, New York and Mexico City.

In Paris, French authorities cancelled two rallies following the terror attacks by gunmen and suicide bombers in the city on November 13, in which 130 people were killed. Authorities have also placed 24 climate activists under house arrest, even as President Francois Hollande called for humanity to unite in the fight against global warming. He said that human beings are destroying nature and damaging the environment.

Billions of dollars in environmental aid were announced around the world on Friday, reported AFP. The Canadian government announced a climate funding of $1.98 billion over the next five years, while the 53-nation Commonwealth bloc agreed to set up a billion-dollar "Green Finance Facility" for environmental projects, said the report.