Yesterday, climate activist Greta Thunberg spoke at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland and said that world leaders are basically doing nothing to lower carbon emissions, despite the proof of a climate crisis.
Speaking only several hours before President Donald Trump at the annual gathering of the political, business, and financial elite, the teenage activist said that despite the increase of awareness for the severity of the problem, nothing much has changed.
Aspiring Teen Activist Says Nothing Essential Has Been Done
According to Thunberg, ‘pretty much nothing has been done since the global emissions of CO2 hasn’t reduced’.
She also added that if we see things from a bigger perspective, it will require much more than this and that this is just the beginning.
When she was asked about what she wants to see in the future, she said that we have to start listening to science and treat this crisis as the crisis it is.
She also added that she’s spent a whole year trying to publicize the findings of a 2018 report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change which show that countries can release only 420 gigatons of CO2 to have the best chance for keeping the rise of the global temperatures below 1.5 degrees.
At the levels currently, this amount will be released within 8.5 years. Thunberg also said that no media outlet or person in power communicated this or what it means for us.
She’s aware that they don’t want to report and that they don’t want to talk about this. But, she will continue repeating these numbers herself.
Second Time Speaking at Davos
After she spoke at the 2019 Davos meeting, she’s grown in popularity and even got named as the Person of the Year by Times.
At yesterday’s meeting, participants lined up to listen to the young activist and many people were holding their phones to take photos of the teenage girl.
She acknowledged the attention; however, she said it’s not sufficient.
Sustainability & Climate Change, Top Problems at this Year’s Davos
At this year’s Davos meeting, climate change and sustainability are among the top problems.
Thunberg repeated her call on companies, institutions, banks, and governments to abandon fossil fuel economy for good.
She emphasized that this has to be done not by 2050, 2030 or 2021, but right now.
What Did President Donald Trump Have to Say?
In his speech, Trump said that the US would join the restoration of trillion trees by 2050; however, he also said to embrace the possibilities of tomorrow and ‘reject prophets of doom and their apocalypse predications’.
Thunberg spoke shortly after Trump again and said that planting trees is good; but nowhere near enough.
She noted that our emissions have to stop if we want to remain below the 1.5 degree level.
She also reminded that our house is on fire and that the inaction of powerful people is fueling the flames.
Sources: