Climate protests ahead of summit
Demonstrations have been under way around the UK to urge action on climate change ahead of the Copenhagen summit.
Organisers Stop Climate Chaos want world leaders to reach a tough new deal on cutting emissions.
In London, police say about 20,000 people have been taking part, while about 7,000 turned out in Glasgow. A protest also took place in Belfast.
Gordon Brown said the protesters were "propelling" leaders to reach the "first world climate change agreement".
Ed Miliband called for an 'ambitious deal' whilst attending a climiate change rally in London
The prime minister, who met some of the demonstrators in Downing Street, said it was "essential" that a deal was reached in Copenhagen.
Leaders had to be "ambitious" and show that the world could work together, he added.
Meanwhile, up to 150 protesters from a different action group - Camp for Climate Action - have started setting up camp in Trafalgar Square, central London.
'The Wave'
Campaigners want Western nations to commit to an 80% cut in carbon emissions by 2050.
A series of events known collectively as The Wave took place in London.
They began with an ecumenical service at Westminster Central Hall, which involved both the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, and Archbishop Vincent Nichols, head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales.
Religious leaders said they were taking part in The Wave because they "recognise unequivocally that there is a moral imperative to tackle the causes of global warming".
At about 1200 GMT, they joined environmental campaigners, aid agencies, trade unions and organisations including the Women's Institute for a rally close to the US embassy in Grosvenor Square, before beginning their march to the Houses of Parliament.
In Glasgow, demonstrators marched from Bellahouston Park in the south of the city to Kelvingrove Park for a rally.
Strathclyde Police said about 7,000 had turned out, which is believed to be Scotland's largest protest in support of action on climate change.
Ashok Sinha, from the Stop Climate Chaos coalition, said: "We will call on Gordon Brown to make Copenhagen count by committing rich countries to reduce their emissions by at least 40% in the next 10 years, finally putting the right sort of money on the table to help poor countries, and urgently start the process of decarbonising our energy supply.
"With bold leadership at home, Mr Brown can help inspire a fair, effective and binding international deal at Copenhagen."
Mr Brown will join Barack Obama in Copenhagen next week, after the US President announced that he had changed his plans and would now attend the end of the conference.
Ahead of the summit, Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband took part in "the first ever ministerial mass phone call" on Saturday, after inviting questions from members of action group 38 Degrees via his website, Ed's Pledge.
He told the BBC: "We're going to go all out, the whole of the British government, over the next two weeks to make sure we get the most ambitious agreement we can."
 Aidan Harris sent in this picture of weather forecaster Michael Fish and TV star Peter Capaldi |
Any agreement made at Copenhagen must become a legally-binding treaty "within months", he added.
Barbara Stocking, chief executive of Oxfam, said world leaders must do more to help those in developing countries cope with the effects of global warming.
"For poor people, climate change is not something in the future. Climate change is hitting them now," she told the BBC.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8396696.stm
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