Greta Thunberg calls for ‘urgent’ international strike after ‘painful’ climate change conference
Emma Brazell for Metro.co.uk
https://i.imgur.com/aQAJhs4.jpg
Greta Thunberg has called for an international strike today after ‘millions of people were silenced’ at the UN Climate Change Conference in Madrid.
Campaigners claim that COP25 has achieved little and that women, indigenous people and poor people have struggled to have their voices heard at the two week-long summit.
On Wednesday, hundreds of climate activists were kicked out of the conference when they staged a peaceful protest.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was mid-speech when a group of roughly 300 activists representing women and indigenous people entered holding banners and singing songs to call attention to the climate emergency.
However, the demonstration was destroyed when dozens of security officials allegedly pushed activists – who came from non-governmental organizations, indigenous groups, and environmental NGOs – out of the climate talks.
It was reported that their badges had been taken, meaning they couldn’t return to the remaining days of the summit.
However, it’s believed the UN had allowed them to return on Thursday.
https://i.imgur.com/6zydzwv.jpg
The UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change), which organises the talks, put out a joint statement with some NGOs saying that after the ‘unfortunate security incident’ all sides had agreed to follow the established guidelines on peaceful demonstrations and respect the need to safeguard all participants.
The UN said: ‘The UNFCCC secretariat remains committed to the inclusiveness and openness of the process and looks forward to strengthening the working relationship with observer organisations.’
However, following the incident, grassroots movement Fridays For Future put out an ‘urgent’ plea for supporters to go on strike to oppose the ‘injustice and violation of human rights’.
They wrote: ‘The voices of millions of people are silenced at the climate change conference in Madrid.
‘While civil society was kicked out from the COP25, fossil fuel lobbyists remained inside. This cannot be tolerated!
‘We cannot accept this injustice and violation of human rights. We have to stand up for our rights and our future!’
Those striking today are asked to ‘mobilise local groups’, as well as forward the news to all strikers around the world.
Their post was retweeted by Greta, 16, who was recently crowned Time Person of the Year after leading a global movement against climate change.
At COP25 on Wednesday, the Swedish teenager slammed world leaders for ‘misleading’ the public with insufficient emission-reduction pledges.
Greta said she wouldn’t give the public any personal or emotional one-liners because ‘those phrases are all that people focus on’.
She added: ‘They don’t remember the facts, the very reason why I say those things in the first place.
‘We no longer have time to leave out the science.’
After a brief speech, she gave the floor to other young climate activists from different parts of the world, saying: ‘Their stories must be heard.’
The activist also mentioned the importance of listening to indigenous peoples because of their valuable knowledge about nature.
After her appearance, Donald Trump attacked the teen on Twitter, saying she ‘must work on her anger management problem, then go to a good old fashioned movie with a friend’.
The president added: ‘Chill Greta, Chill!’
However, she soon hit back on social media , updating her Twitter bio to say: ‘A teenager working on her anger management problem.
‘Currently chilling and watching a good old fashioned movie with a friend.’
