New York Sees the Biggest Climate March in History

— -- More than 300,000 people turned out today for the People's Climate March in New York City, making it the largest recorded demonstration calling for a response to climate change. The marchers just hope someone was paying attention.

"It was a really inspiring experience," Gideon Wolf, 21, of Washington D.C. said. "I hope politicians see what we did here."

Wolf and the other thousands of marchers gathered early Sunday morning along New York's Central Park West. Organizers instructed marchers to line up to 86th Street, but the larger-than-expected attendance had some would-be marchers waiting on the side streets.

"It was packed with so many people," said Laura Maranto, 22, of New York, N.Y. "Even when the front of the march had reached the end, there were still people waiting, they hadn't even begun to march."

The march was one of several held today around the world, including a march in London that drew an estimated 40,000 people and one in Melbourne, Australia, where 10,000 demonstrated.

The events are being held to raise a voice for global action two days before the United Nations Climate Summit, where more than 120 world leaders will meet, beginning the work to draw up a new global climate treaty by the end of 2015.

The march began with a silent protest as thousands of marchers walked through Times Square with their fists in the air without making a sound.

Activists were organized into community groups and carried signs and chanted.

Actor Leonardo DiCaprio, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio were also among the marchers.