Protesters in smoke-covered <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sydneysiders-urged-to-stay-indoors-as-australian-bushfire-smoke-blankets-city-263900">Sydney </a>kicked off a fresh round of global protests against climate change on Friday, with activists and schoolchildren picketing the headquarters of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australia-bushfires-record-air-pollution-numbers-recorded-in-new-south-wales-sydney-chokes-263757">bushfire-ravaged </a>Australia's ruling party.

Hundreds of people gathered at the conservative Liberal party's offices to heed the call to action from 16-year-old climate change campaigner Greta Thunberg.

The protests have taken on extra urgency in Australia -- the country's southeast has been devastated by hundreds of damaging bushfires in recent weeks.

The protestors -- brandishing placards that read "You're burning our future" and chanting "we will rise" -- turned out as Sydney was again enveloped in toxic smoke caused by the fires that has blanketed the city for much of the last month.

Six people have died and hundreds of homes have been destroyed in the crisis, which scientists say has been worsened by rising temperatures.

Drought and unseasonably hot, dry and windy conditions have fuelled the unprecedented blazes.

The target of the protesters' ire was Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who has angrily denied any link between the fires and climate change while defending his support for fossil fuels.

"Our government's inaction on the climate crisis has supercharged bushfires," said school strike leader Shiann Broderick. "People are hurting. Communities like ours are being devastated. Summer hasn't even begun."

Australia, with a population of 25 million, has low carbon emissions compared with the planet's biggest polluters, but is one of the world's leading coal exporters.

"The suggestion that (in) any way shape or form that Australia, accountable for 1.3 per cent of the world's emissions, that the individual actions of Australia are impacting directly on specific fire events, whether it's here or anywhere else in the world, that doesn't bear up to credible scientific evidence," Morrison claimed earlier this month.

Missed targets&nbsp;

Protests are expected later in the day in Melbourne, Brisbane and in cities across the world.

Last month, millions of people took to the streets in nearly every major global city for a series of "climate strikes".

The latest demonstrations come as 200 nations prepare to gather in Madrid next week for a 12-day UN climate conference.

The meeting will focus largely on finalising the "rulebook" for the 2015 Paris climate treaty, which becomes operational in 2021.

Scientists have warned that efforts to cap warming to 1.5 Celsius are failing, and that carbon emissions - which are on the rise -- would need to fall 7.6 per cent a year to meet the target.

The UN has reported that greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere, the main driver of climate change, hit a record high last year.

The organisation has also warned that global temperatures are on pace to rise almost four Celsius by the end of the century -- an increase that could make some places virtually unhabitable.

Protesters in smoke-covered Sydney kicked off a fresh round of global protests against climate change on Friday, with activists and schoolchildren picketing the headquarters of bushfire-ravaged Australia's ruling party.

Protesters in smoke-covered Sydney kicked off a fresh round of global protests against climate change on Friday, with activists and schoolchildren picketing the headquarters of bushfire-ravaged Australia's ruling party. Hundreds of people gathered at the conservative Liberal party's offices to heed the call to action from 16-year-old climate change campaigner Greta Thunberg. The protests have taken on extra urgency in Australia -- the country's southeast has been devastated by hundreds of damaging bushfires in recent weeks. The protestors -- brandishing placards that read "You're burning our future" and chanting "we will rise" -- turned out as Sydney was again enveloped in toxic smoke caused by the fires that has blanketed the city for much of the last month. Six people have died and hundreds of homes have been destroyed in the crisis, which scientists say has been worsened by rising temperatures. Drought and unseasonably hot, dry and windy conditions have fuelled the unprecedented blazes. The target of the protesters' ire was Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who has angrily denied any link between the fires and climate change while defending his support for fossil fuels. "Our government's inaction on the climate crisis has supercharged bushfires," said school strike leader Shiann Broderick. "People are hurting. Communities like ours are being devastated. Summer hasn't even begun." Australia, with a population of 25 million, has low carbon emissions compared with the planet's biggest polluters, but is one of the world's leading coal exporters. "The suggestion that (in) any way shape or form that Australia, accountable for 1.3 per cent of the world's emissions, that the individual actions of Australia are impacting directly on specific fire events, whether it's here or anywhere else in the world, that doesn't bear up to credible scientific evidence," Morrison claimed earlier this month. Missed targets Protests are expected later in the day in Melbourne, Brisbane and in cities across the world. Last month, millions of people took to the streets in nearly every major global city for a series of "climate strikes". The latest demonstrations come as 200 nations prepare to gather in Madrid next week for a 12-day UN climate conference. The meeting will focus largely on finalising the "rulebook" for the 2015 Paris climate treaty, which becomes operational in 2021. Scientists have warned that efforts to cap warming to 1.5 Celsius are failing, and that carbon emissions - which are on the rise -- would need to fall 7.6 per cent a year to meet the target. The UN has reported that greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere, the main driver of climate change, hit a record high last year. The organisation has also warned that global temperatures are on pace to rise almost four Celsius by the end of the century -- an increase that could make some places virtually unhabitable.

Climate protests kick off in smoke-covered Sydney

Strong winds stoked more than 100 fires across Australia's east coast on Tuesday, blanketing <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australia-bushfires-record-air-pollution-numbers-recorded-in-new-south-wales-sydney-chokes-263757">Sydney </a>in hazardous smoke and prompting health warnings for the country's most populous city.

Australia is prone to bushfires in its dry, hot summers, but fierce blazes have been sparked early, in the southern spring, by a long drought and soaring temperatures.

Wildfires have so far this month claimed at least four lives, burnt about 2.5 million acres (1 million hectares) of farmland and bush and destroyed more than 300 homes.

Powerful winds fanned around 130 fires that have been burning across New South Wales and Queensland states for several days and pushed smoke south to form a thick haze over Sydney, home to around 5 million people.

Officials said the air quality above parts of the harbour city was measured at 10 times hazardous levels on Tuesday and advised people to stay indoors as much as possible as the smoke lingers over coming days.

"We know that heatwaves cause severe illness, hospital admission and even deaths, and that people are more sensitive to heatwaves early in the season," Richard Broom, director of environmental health at NSW Health said In an emailed statement.

"The combination of heat and poor air quality adds to the risk."

In NSW, firefighters were scrambling to strengthen fire containment lines ahead of forecast higher temperatures for much of the rest of the week.

"More than 1,300 firefighters are working on these fires, undertaking backburning operations and strengthening containment lines ahead of forecast hot, dry and windy weather, with seven areas under a total fire ban," the NSW Rural Fire Service said in a statement.

The current bushfire crisis has mostly been contained to the east coast of NSW and Queensland states, but officials in South Australia warned on Tuesday that forecast near-record temperatures raises the risks in that state.

Australia's Bureau of Meteorology said temperatures in Adelaide, the capital of South Australia, will hit 42 degrees Celsius (107.6 degrees Fahrenheit) on Wednesday, which coupled with strong winds will create "catastrophic" fire danger conditions.

Strong winds stoked more than 100 fires across Australia's east coast on Tuesday, blanketing Sydney in hazardous smoke and prompting health warnings for the country's most populous city.

Strong winds stoked more than 100 fires across Australia's east coast on Tuesday, blanketing Sydney in hazardous smoke and prompting health warnings for the country's most populous city. Australia is prone to bushfires in its dry, hot summers, but fierce blazes have been sparked early, in the southern spring, by a long drought and soaring temperatures. Wildfires have so far this month claimed at least four lives, burnt about 2.5 million acres (1 million hectares) of farmland and bush and destroyed more than 300 homes. Powerful winds fanned around 130 fires that have been burning across New South Wales and Queensland states for several days and pushed smoke south to form a thick haze over Sydney, home to around 5 million people. Officials said the air quality above parts of the harbour city was measured at 10 times hazardous levels on Tuesday and advised people to stay indoors as much as possible as the smoke lingers over coming days. "We know that heatwaves cause severe illness, hospital admission and even deaths, and that people are more sensitive to heatwaves early in the season," Richard Broom, director of environmental health at NSW Health said In an emailed statement. "The combination of heat and poor air quality adds to the risk." In NSW, firefighters were scrambling to strengthen fire containment lines ahead of forecast higher temperatures for much of the rest of the week. "More than 1,300 firefighters are working on these fires, undertaking backburning operations and strengthening containment lines ahead of forecast hot, dry and windy weather, with seven areas under a total fire ban," the NSW Rural Fire Service said in a statement. The current bushfire crisis has mostly been contained to the east coast of NSW and Queensland states, but officials in South Australia warned on Tuesday that forecast near-record temperatures raises the risks in that state. Australia's Bureau of Meteorology said temperatures in Adelaide, the capital of South Australia, will hit 42 degrees Celsius (107.6 degrees Fahrenheit) on Wednesday, which coupled with strong winds will create "catastrophic" fire danger conditions.

Sydneysiders urged to stay indoors as Australian bushfire smoke blankets city

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Climate protests kick off in smoke-covered Sydney

Sydneysiders urged to stay indoors as Australian bushfire smoke blankets city