Are we starting to forget about climate change? Perhaps we think that our representative at the climate change conference COP24 would sort it all out? Unfortunately we would be severely mistaken. Delegates at the conference refused to welcome the IPCC report we had discussed earlier. Ironically, it is a report they had themselves commissioned, but in the end they did not want to hear what the report had to say and it was vetoed. Some claim the conference ended up more of a coal fair then a climate conference.
However, perhaps the best thing to come out of the conference was to see 15 year old Greta speak on school strikes and the daily press conferences reminding us that platitudes and warm words just aren't enough anymore. Her steadfast commitment should be a strong source of inspiration - and with a younger generation like Greta behind us anything is possible. She did not mince words to the conference delegates:
You only speak of green eternal economic growth because you are too scared of being unpopular. You only talk about moving forward with the same bad ideas that got us into this mess, even when the only sensible thing to do is pull the emergency brake.
You are not mature enough to tell it like is. Even that burden you leave to us children. But I don't care about being popular. I care about climate justice and the living planet. Our civilization is being sacrificed for the opportunity of a very small number of people to continue making enormous amounts of money. Our biosphere is being sacrificed so that rich people in countries like mine can live in luxury. It is the sufferings of the many which pay for the luxuries of the few.
You say you love your children above all else, and yet you are stealing their future in front of their very eyes.
Some strong words we hope everyone will reflect on, her full speech is available on YouTube. It is unfortunate that a large part of those who will be the most affected by climate change like Greta have little place in our society’s decision making process. We hope we cannot only meet - but exceed - Greta’s call for action.
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