Greta Thunberg criticises ‘blah, blah, blah’ from world leaders on climate

28 September 2021, 17:04

Greta Thunberg and Vanessa Nakate
Italy Climate Youth Summit. Picture: PA

The Swedish environmental figurehead spoke at a meeting of youth climate activists in Milan, ahead of the Cop26 summit in Glasgow.

Youth climate activists Greta Thunberg and Vanessa Nakate have chastised global leaders for failing to meet funding pledges and for delivering too much “blah blah blah” as climate change wreaks havoc around the world.

The activists even cast doubt on the intentions behind the youth climate gathering in Milan, where they were speaking.

Four hundred climate activists from 180 countries were invited to Italy’s financial capital for a three-day Youth4Climate summit that will send its recommendations to Cop26, a major United Nations climate summit in Glasgow that begins on October 31.

Participants at the Milan summit are demanding more accountability from leaders as well as a bigger official role for young people.

Swedish activist Ms Thunberg said: “They invite cherry-picked young people to pretend they are listening to us.

“But they are not. They are clearly not listening to us. Just look at the numbers. Emissions are still rising. The science doesn’t lie.

“Leaders like to say: ‘We can do it.’ They obviously don’t mean it. But we do.”

Greta Thunberg
Ms Thunberg said that targets could be met (AP)

Ms Nakate, a 24-year-old activist from Uganda, said pledges of 100 billion euro (£85.5 billion) a year to help countries particularly vulnerable to the impact of climate change have not materialised, even as wildfires in California and Greece and floods in Germany and Belgium show that “loss and damage is now possible everywhere”.

She said: “In fact, funds were promised by 2020, and we are still waiting.

“No more empty conferences. It’s time to show us the money. It’s time, it’s time, it’s time. And don’t forget to listen to the most affected people and areas.”

Ms Nakata dramatically underlined how climate change is affecting the African continent, “which is ironic given that Africa is the lowest emitter of CO2 emissions of any continent except Antarctica”.

Just last week, she said she saw police taking away a body that had been washed away by violent storms in the Ugandan capital of Kampala, while others searched for more victims.

Climate activists
Ms Nakate broke down during her emotional speech (AP)

Her mother told her that one man dragged off by the water had been trying to save the goods he was selling from being washed away.

Ms Nakata collapsed in tears after her emotional speech, receiving comfort from Ms Thunberg, who followed her to a podium that was too tall for her small stature.

Ms Thunberg, who coalesced the global protest movement Fridays for Future, insisted it is not too late to reverse climate trends.

However, she has clearly heard enough from leaders, whom she said have been talking for 30 years while half of all carbon emissions have occurred since 1990 – and one third since 2005.

She said: “This is all we hear from our so-called leaders: Words. Words that sound great but so far have led to no action.

“Our hopes and dreams drown in their empty words and promises. Of course we need constructive dialogue, but they have now had 30 years of blah, blah, blah. And where has this led us?”

The three-day Youth4Climate Summit will be followed by a two-day pre-Cop26 meeting before Glasgow aimed at finding common ground on sticking points among countries, which range from the world’s big carbon emitters to developing nations lagging both economically and technologically.

Hopes for a successful Glasgow summit have been boosted by announcements from the world’s two biggest economies and largest carbon polluters, the United States and China.

Greta Thunberg speaks to the press
The three-day Youth for Climate summit takes place over three days in Milan, Italy (AP)

Chinese president Xi Jinping said his country will no longer fund coal-fired plants abroad; his US counterpart Joe Biden announced a plan to double financial aid for green growth to poorer nations.

In addition, Turkey has said it would adhere to the Paris protocols, while South Africa announced more ambitious emissions targets.

“These are good steps,” said Italy’s minister for ecological transition, Roberto Cingolani, who is hosting the Milan meetings.

“They mean that they are moving in the right direction.

“I never expect quantum jumps in this gigantic operation on a world level. But the indicators are all good.”

By Press Association

Latest World News

See more Latest World News

Australia Cyber Safety

Google, Meta and others face questions in Australia over cyber extremism threats

United Nations Nuclear Weapons

US and Japan seek UN resolution banning nuclear weapons in outer space

Election 2024 Trump

‘Impossible’ for Trump to post civil fraud bond of £356m, say lawyers

Georgia Election Indictment Lawmakers

Trump seeks to appeal against decision not to disqualify DA in Georgia case

Mike Lynch court case

Fallen tech star Mike Lynch painted as fraud mastermind in Hewlett-Packard trial

Russia Crimea

Putin extends rule in Russian election after harshest crackdown since Soviet era

Vacationing Mom Toddler Death

Ohio woman given life after child died when she left her alone to go on holiday

Transgender Athletes Ban New York Caitlyn Jenner

Caitlyn Jenner backs New York county’s ban on transgender female athletes

A Mayor Eric Adams standing on a stage in front of an audience engaging them with a speech

New York mayor Eric Adams accused of sexually assaulting woman in 1993

Biden Netanyahu

Netanyahu agrees to send officials to US to discuss prospective Rafah operation

Palestinians rush to collect the humanitarian aid airdropped into Gaza City, Gaza Strip on March 17 (Mohammed Hajjar/AP)

‘Famine imminent’ in northern Gaza as 70% face ‘catastrophic hunger’

Music-Country Hall of Fame

James Burton, John Anderson and Toby Keith join Country Music Hall of Fame

Russia Election

What the Russian election reveals about Putin’s rule

Obit-Stafford

Astronaut Thomas Stafford, commander of Apollo 10, dies aged 93

Montenegro US

US envoy visits Montenegro to support EU bid as war in Ukraine rages on

APTOPIX Haiti Violence

At least 12 killed as gangs unleash fresh attacks in Haiti’s capital