Greta Thunberg. The teenager who in August 2018 started skipping school on Fridays to sit outside the Swedish parliament (all alone) and strike for the climate. Now, a year later, the 16-year-old activist is a Nobel prize nominee and has galvanised people the world over to join the #GlobalClimateStrike.
When she was invited to speak at the UN Climate Action Summit in New York, she travelled to the city on a zero-carbon emissions yacht propelled by wind, solar panels and water-driven generators.
School strike week 34.#fridaysforfuture #schoolstrike4climate #climatestrike pic.twitter.com/K3KgzuTQO1
— Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) April 12, 2019
Yesterday, she opened the summit with a powerful speech aimed at the attending world leaders. She slammed them for not taking climate change seriously and said, “People are suffering. People are dying. Entire ecosystems are collapsing. We are in the beginning of a mass extinction. And all you can talk about is money and fairytales of eternal economic growth. How dare you!”
"You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words," climate activist Greta Thunberg tells the UN. "We are in the beginning of a mass extinction and all you can talk about is money and fairy tales of eternal economic growth. How dare you." https://t.co/F5Umw55Y5Y pic.twitter.com/K0WxGCeU4A
— CNN (@CNN) September 23, 2019
“For more than 30 years the science has been crystal clear. How dare you continue to look away, and come here saying that you are doing enough when the politics and solutions needed are still nowhere in sight.”
She further cited the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change which stated in January 2018 that we had 420 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide left to emit for a 67% chance to keep global temperature rise below 1.5 degrees.
“With today’s emissions levels, that remaining CO2 budget will be entirely gone in less than eight and a half years.”
She concluded her speech by saying, “You are failing us. But young people are starting to understand your betrayal. The eyes of all future generations are upon you. And if you choose to fail us I say we will never forgive you. We will not let you get away with this. Right here, right now is where we draw the line. The world is waking up. And change is coming, whether you like it or not.”
Here is what netizens had to say about the teen activist and her passionate speech.
How dare we – as adults, as parents, as leaders – leave this global mess for our children & grandchildren to clean up! #HowDareYou
— Sarah Hanson-Young💚 (@sarahinthesen8) September 24, 2019
Listening to #HowDareYou today, the speech by the amazing young lady miss @GretaThunberg brought this statue to mind. Her heartfelt conviction is unwavering. Bravo! pic.twitter.com/P9FeOZuLnz
— LashaunTheeGem (@GemThee) September 23, 2019
Forget your superheroes
A 16 year old Swedish girl is the best thing I've seen in years. #howdareyou— Shayne Calliss (@SCalliss) September 23, 2019
To think kids are actually afraid they won't get to live to adulthood because we won't stop damaging our planet is BEYOND eye opening. It's about time people start listening. #HowDareYou https://t.co/KvUUBnxHBR
— Jake (@equaltojake_) September 23, 2019
Teen girls do not fuck around. Unleash it, Greta. Unleash it all. #HOWDAREYOU
— Chrissa 🌿 (@chrissahardy) September 23, 2019
She's right. We have failed our kids. We've left them collapsing ecosystems, mass extinction, unbreathable air, and undrinkable water. Instead of looking for solutions or having the political will to act, we have been focused only on money. #HowDareYouhttps://t.co/7geJfNlodT
— Cathy Myers (@CathyMyersWI) September 23, 2019
You make we women and girls especially proud!!!🌟💯🌍♥️
— Jory Micah #BlackLivesMatter (@jorymicah) September 23, 2019
What you are doing is so important. You are so important. Billions of people are counting on you. And you're not alone. We're with you. Together, we will save the planet. ✊
— Joshua 4 Congress (@Joshua4Congress) September 23, 2019
Greta Thunberg is the future #ThePresentIn5Words pic.twitter.com/TA2mPY3JG1
— Mychal (@mychal3ts) September 24, 2019
#ThePresentIn5Words
We're all Greta Thunberg fans pic.twitter.com/FCT8z7odc4— 🦖 Brirannosaurus Defund the Police State (@redbuddhadojo) September 24, 2019
World leaders, are you listening? The time for talking is over. The time for action is now.