Climate activists protest at top global energy gathering

By Arathy Somasekhar

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Protesters gathered on Monday outside the world's largest annual meeting of energy executives, where the U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said that climate change was a side effect of building the modern world.

The CERAWeek energy conference is taking place as the new U.S. administration of President Donald Trump reverses the policies of his predecessor aimed at accelerating the transition to a lower carbon economy and addressing climate change.

Trump has exhorted oil producers to drill more and to maximize output, and told his administration to slash red tape that slows energy project development.

Several dozen protesters gathered outside the venue for the conference in downtown Houston, holding signs that said "stop funding the climate crisis," and "no faith in fossil fuels."

Protesters were demanding an end to the expansion of oil, gas, petrochemicals and plastics production, said Dominic Chacon, an organizer of the protest with Texas Campaign for the Environment.

"We need cleaner water, cleaner air and less toxic conditions for humans and all creatures on earth," said Jessica Grim, who came from Ohio to be a part of the protests.

"I want the energy industry to open their eyes," Grim said.

The gathering was larger than the small protests at the venue in recent years.

"As Indigenous people, the land is really important to us... we need people to hear us," said Syd Gonzalez, who wore a traditional outfit that represented her Indigenous heritage.

Tickets for the conference can cost as much as $10,500 and that has kept protesters outside rather than participating, Chacon said.

Protest organizers last year raised the amount to buy tickets, but were refunded, Chacon added.

"We should have a seat at the table at the very least. That's why we are assembling."

(Reporting by Arathy Somasekhar in Houston; Editing by Simon Webb and Nia Williams)

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