Protesters form a giant "NO" to demonstrate their opposition to a third runway for London's Heathrow airport. Photograph: Alessia Pierdomenico/Getty Images
Oh how pleasing. A lovely hot day, an amiable march, a good turn out, an eye-catching photo for the papers. Yes, this is generally one which can be marked up as a good day for the climate change movement, and there have not been enough of those this year.
The Make A Noise march, around the perimeter of Heathrow airport to the village of Sipson (which will be levelled if plans for a third runway are allowed to go ahead), was hoping to pull in about 10,000, and we all thought there must be something like that. But how do you tell? We stood and looked back and there were lots of people there so we decided it was about 10,000. (Someone told me wait to find out what the police say, and then double it.)
Then the weather was on our sides. After the climate change march in December 2007 was pummelled by horrendous, horizontal rain, it was a tremendous pleasure this time around to meander along bathed in sunshine - there really are few better ways to spend a Saturday afternoon than a good march, chatting to random people to a backdrop of drums, whistles, the odd chant.
But the best thing of all was a general sense that this particular movement is really beginning to get somewhere. The marchers represent a proper cross-section of society, from the Notting Hill we CAN group, through the unions (I was pleased to see the National Union of Journalists banner going past) and the Sipson villagers.
There was a continental contingent too: protesters are fighting airport expansions in Athens and Nantes. There were MPs, there were loads of people from Climate Camp and there was even a representative for the Archbishop of Canterbury.
John Sauven, the director of Greenpeace, strode along with everyone else feeling extremely optimistic: he talked about the decision by health minister Ann Keen to come out against the runway. A few months ago she had been less open about her position, but now "it's getting harder and harder to find anyone who's actually in favour of the runway. Apart from the government, I mean."
This may well be the turning point, Sauven thought, and I think most people there today were crossing their fingers that he was right.
But the problem is Sauven's little codicil - "apart from the government". Because obviously they are the people making the decision. Some time over the next couple of months the government will be making its announcement about the runway.
I try to envisage this government being bold enough to do a U-turn on the runway, facing down the corporate powers, coming out in favour of our planet instead. I'm afraid it's not coming to me. It may have been a wonderful march, a lovely day, but will it be enough? Will this government find a sudden dose of backbone?
