Ten of thousands urge EU for climate action at Brussels demonstration
Climate Protest Draws Tens of Thousands to Brussels Ahead of COP31
Poinews.com – Large crowds filled the streets of Brussels on Sunday, calling on European leaders to strengthen their response to climate change as attention turns toward next month’s UN climate summit in Antalya, Turkey. Police estimated that 45,000 people took part, while organisers put attendance closer to 60,000.
The march travelled through the Belgian capital toward the institutions of the European Union. It came after a summer of extreme heat across Europe, which has intensified public concern over the everyday consequences of a warming climate. Belgium was among the countries affected by a sharp and unprecedented rise in excess deaths during the heatwaves.
Demonstrators also pointed to wildfires in the High Fens, one of Belgium’s most significant natural reserves, as a sign of the pressure facing communities and ecosystems. For many participants, the event was both a demand for policy change and an expression of frustration that climate action appears to be slipping down the political agenda.
Five demands for stronger action
The mobilisation was organised by Climate Coalition alongside a range of groups, including Groen, the green political party in Flanders. The coalition presented five central demands: ending fossil-fuel subsidies, imposing taxes on the fossil-fuel industry, expanding green space, ensuring a fair transition, helping households and companies move away from fossil fuels, and reinforcing international cooperation on climate action.
The demands reflect a broad argument made by campaigners: cutting emissions must be paired with support for people facing the cost and disruption of the transition. In practical terms, that means policies intended to make cleaner options more accessible while avoiding an unequal burden on lower-income households, workers and smaller businesses.
Aimen Horch, president of the Green Party in Flanders and Brussels, said the message from campaigners has remained consistent, even as the urgency has grown.
“People actually died from the heat. They felt that the conditions of their homes made it impossible to sleep at night. They saw the wildfires in the High Fens, one of the country's most important nature reserves, and saw that the government did nothing.”
Horch said political institutions in Belgium and at EU level must keep climate policy at the forefront despite competing economic and political pressures.
“We have to fight in the European Parliament and here in Belgium to make sure climate stays on top of the agenda, because the urgency is not gone. The heatwaves are not gone. The impact of climate change on people's daily lives is not gone.”
Public concern extends beyond the march
Participants included families, activists, development workers and people concerned about the effects of hotter summers on health, housing and employment. Economist Etienne de Callatay said the unease visible at the demonstration was not limited to those who joined the march.
“There is a great deal of concern among the population, not just among the protesters today. The extreme heat we experienced this summer is something everyone was aware of. Politicians shouldn't be afraid of electoral repercussions if they take courageous measures on environmental issues.”
Aurore Schreiber, who works for a development cooperation NGO, attended with her family in the hope that elected officials would respond more directly to public demands.
“We need to listen to the demands of young people and the most vulnerable. We need greener, fairer supply chains that take into account workers' issues and wages.”
Her comments underlined a central theme of the protest: climate policy is being discussed not only as an environmental issue, but also as a question of social fairness. Campaigners argue that measures affecting energy, transport, jobs and supply chains should protect people who have fewer resources to adapt.
Low expectations for Antalya summit
The Brussels protest takes place shortly before COP31, where delegates from around the world will meet in Antalya. Expectations for major advances at the annual negotiations are limited. The United States, under Donald Trump, has stepped back from the process, while enthusiasm for more ambitious climate measures has weakened in parts of Europe.
The European Union enters the summit in a complicated position. Brussels continues to describe itself as a global leader on climate policy and remains the leading international donor in this area. Yet the bloc has also softened elements of its own environmental agenda as it seeks to improve competitiveness against China and the United States.
Last month, the European Commission proposed delaying implementation of a law aimed at methane emissions by a year, shifting the planned start from 2027 to 2028. Methane is a highly polluting greenhouse gas, and the proposed postponement became a recent example for critics who believe environmental commitments are being diluted.
The wider international setting has also become more difficult for negotiations on fossil fuels. Rising energy prices have strengthened the position of major oil and gas producers, reducing their incentive to support discussions about a rapid phaseout. That dynamic could make it harder for governments to reach agreement on stronger commitments at COP31.
For those marching in Brussels, the size of Sunday’s turnout was intended to send a clear signal before the summit begins: climate risks have not receded, and public pressure for action remains substantial. The heat experienced across Europe this year has given that argument particular force, connecting international negotiations with conditions people have felt in their homes, workplaces and communities.
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