Climate activists take to streets as U.N. talks kick off

There were two faces to the climate actions taking place in central Paris today - one was a peaceful human chain, with thousands of people lining the Boulevard Voltaire, calling for greater action to curb global warming and justice for those suffering the impacts.

The other was groups massed in the Place de le Republique - protesting against the capitalist sytem they blame for climate change and the ban slapped on marching by the French authorities, following the Nov. 13 attacks in which 130 people were killed.

The chants of the two sets of activists represented the difference between them. On the one hand "State of (climate) emergency - for a climate of peace". And on the other "State of emergency, police state - you won't take away our right to demonstrate".

Both approaches were advocating for "system change not climate change". Some said they still had faith in the U.N. climate talks taking place over the next two weeks to come up with an ambitious global deal to curb climate change.

Others expressed fear the COP21 summit would be taken over by corporate interests - such as fossil fuel and other multinationals - and wondered if their voices would really be heard there.

Photos by TRF/Megan Rowling