Greta Thunberg Rips World Leaders Over Climate Change: VIDEO

Home>
News>

        Greta Thunberg Rips World Leaders For Being All Talk And No Action On Climate Change: 'Blah Blah Blah'
    

         Nicolò Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images
    
By Peter KarlebySep 30, 2021
Peter Karleby
Peter Karleby is a writer, content producer and performer originally from Michigan. His writing has also appeared on YourTango, Delish and Medium, and he has produced content for NBC, The New York Times and The CW, among others. When not working, he can be found tripping over his own feet on a hiking trail while singing Madonna songs to ward off lurking bears.
 See Full Bio 
Top Stories
AI Powered

        Malcolm-Jamal Warner's Widow Breaks Her Silence With Poignant Message On Their Anniversary
    

        Eagle-Eyed Fans Notice Subtle 'Severance' Nod Written On Back Of Star's Emmys Speech
    
Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg stunned the audience at the recent Youth4Climate conference and people all over the internet with her speech at the gathering, held in Milan earlier this week.
In her comments, Thunberg lambasted world leaders, including Democratic President Joe Biden and U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, accusing them of being all talk and no action with their climate change policies.
Riffing on famous quotes and catchphrases from the two leaders, Thunberg openly mocked the two men in a way that had many people cheering. 
See her comments below.
\u201cWe can no longer let the people in power decide what hope is. Hope is not passive. Hope is not blah blah blah. Hope is telling the truth. Hope is taking action\u201d  \nMy speech at #Youth4Climate #PreCOP26 in Milan.pic.twitter.com/BA62GpST2O
 — Greta Thunberg (@Greta Thunberg)
        1632839752

In her speech to some 400 15-29-year-old attendees from 186 countries, Thunberg began by calling for green economic policies and assuring the 400 attendees, all between 15 and 29 years old and hailing for 186 countries, that we can tackle climate change if we all pull together.
That sentiment provided a perfect segue into speaking truth to power, criticizing54 world leaders' who seem forever resistant to tackling the problem of climate change with anything other than lip service. 
As Thunberg put it:
"There is no 'planet B.' There is no 'planet blah.' Blah blah blah, blah blah blah." She then laid into U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, mocking his now infamous quote from President Biden's virtual climate summit earlier this year, which many interpreted as patronizing lip-service about fighting climate change. 
"This is not about 'some expensive, politically correct act of bunny hugging' or blah blah blah."Thunberg then took aim at Biden, mocking his signature budget and economic recovery legislation, "Build Back Better."
"Build Back Better, blah blah blah."
While  "Build Back Better" does include climate change initiatives, activists and scientists alike have roundly criticized it for exactly the same shortcomings Thunberg pointed out in her speech: Biden's initiatives are too little, too late and don't at all accord with the level of crisis even Biden himself admits is befalling the world.
Or, as Thunberg went on to say:
"Green economy. Blah blah blah. Net zero by 2050. Blah, blah, blah.""This is all we hear from our so-called leaders. Words that sound great but so far have not led to action. "Our hopes and dreams drown in their empty promises."On Twitter, many applauded Thunberg's straight-talking truth-to-power approach.
\u201c\u2018But he hasn't got anything on,\u2019 a little child said.\u201dhttps://twitter.com/nowthisnews/status/1443068769702584323\u00a0\u2026
 — Leah McElrath \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08 (@Leah McElrath \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08)
        1632938691


It's not just a cute jab, it is a real frustration with big elite institutions, branded as purveyors of social-good, that don't seem to really care that much about following through on their words. Anyone who's been in the social sector long enough feels it.https://twitter.com/ajplus/status/1443380071809515524\u00a0\u2026
 — Davey Min Sun Kim (@Davey Min Sun Kim)
        1632966051


Every year  #UNGA world leaders come with well written speech by a team of experts, enact the content to applause of the gallery.\n\nWhile they exit the UNGA hall they do not even remember what they just promised.\n\nResponsibility without accountability.\n\n@GretaThunberg
 — Human Being (@Human Being)
        1632889780

European lawmakers have voted to prolong subsidies for fossil fuel gas until 2027!\n\nInsteading of subsidising fossil fuels companies, these subsidies should be going to the renewable energy sector.\n\nWorld leaders must unite & do more than \ud835\ude57\ud835\ude61\ud835\ude56\ud835\ude5d, \ud835\ude57\ud835\ude61\ud835\ude56\ud835\ude5d, \ud835\ude57\ud835\ude61\ud835\ude56\ud835\ude5d!\n\n#DemVoice1https://twitter.com/BBCWorld/status/1442903446584115207\u00a0\u2026
 — Tony Hussein #DemVoice1 (@Tony Hussein #DemVoice1)
        1632916581


Listening to her gives me nothing but hope. Keep this energy going!
 — \ud83c\udf3e Ivan Molina \ud83c\udf3e (@\ud83c\udf3e Ivan Molina \ud83c\udf3e)
        1632890189


No. Greta is a hero of our times.
 — Susan (@Susan)
        1632904774


Hard to argue with her assessment.
 — Stan Van Gundy (@Stan Van Gundy)
        1632944365


So much respect for that young person. I am in awe of what she has done, and is still doing.
 — \u00c6nesidemusOZ (aka Grandalf) \ud83d\ude37\ud83d\udc89\ud83d\udc89\ud83d\ude08\ud83d\udc00 (@\u00c6nesidemusOZ (aka Grandalf) \ud83d\ude37\ud83d\udc89\ud83d\udc89\ud83d\ude08\ud83d\udc00)
        1632906855


She's right, which is why weird middle aged men have a problem with her.https://twitter.com/washingtonpost/status/1443232215832436740\u00a0\u2026
 — Laz, Lazarou Monkiest of Terrors 3.5%\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\ud83d\udc99\ud83d\ude80 (@Laz, Lazarou Monkiest of Terrors 3.5%\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\ud83d\udc99\ud83d\ude80)
        1632928597


She doesn\u2019t misshttps://twitter.com/washingtonpost/status/1443232215832436740\u00a0\u2026
 — Ben Rough (@Ben Rough)
        1632929172


That young lady speaks better English, and more sense, than @BorisJohnson
 — Jeff Gill (@Jeff Gill)
        1632900427

Thunberg's speech went on to issue a dire warning to world leaders, who are set to meet in Glasgow in November for the COP26 conference, the largest gathering of world leaders to address the climate change emergency since the 2015 Paris agreements. 
"We can still turn this around – it is entirely possible. It will take immediate, drastic annual emission reductions. But not if things go on like today.""Our leaders' intentional lack of action is a betrayal toward all present and future generations."Here's hoping they take her words to heart.
Latest News
Trending
        Trump Adviser Gets Epic Reminder After Claiming The Left Went After Him Like They Did Charlie Kirk
    
Alan Herrera
2h
TV & Movies
        Lorne Michaels Just Explained The Thinking Behind His Big 'Saturday Night Live' Cast Shakeup
    
Amelia Mavis Christnot
2h
Political News
        Kari Lake Slammed After Warning Parents Not To Send Their Kids To College After Charlie Kirk Murder
    
Alan Herrera
2h
Political News
        Vance Claims Kirk Never Insulted Black Women's 'Brain Processing Power'—And Here Come The Receipts
    
Alan Herrera
3h
Don’t Miss Out

      Join the
      ComicSands.com
      community and make your opinion matter.
    

The Top 5

Discover More

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg stunned the audience at the recent Youth4Climate conference and people all over the internet with her speech at the gathering, held in Milan earlier this week.

In her comments, Thunberg lambasted world leaders, including Democratic President Joe Biden and U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, accusing them of being all talk and no action with their climate change policies.

Riffing on famous quotes and catchphrases from the two leaders, Thunberg openly mocked the two men in a way that had many people cheering.

See her comments below.

\u201cWe can no longer let the people in power decide what hope is. Hope is not passive. Hope is not blah blah blah. Hope is telling the truth. Hope is taking action\u201d \nMy speech at #Youth4Climate #PreCOP26 in Milan.pic.twitter.com/BA62GpST2O
— Greta Thunberg (@Greta Thunberg) 1632839752

In her speech to some 400 15-29-year-old attendees from 186 countries, Thunberg began by calling for green economic policies and assuring the 400 attendees, all between 15 and 29 years old and hailing for 186 countries, that we can tackle climate change if we all pull together.

That sentiment provided a perfect segue into speaking truth to power, criticizing54 world leaders' who seem forever resistant to tackling the problem of climate change with anything other than lip service.

As Thunberg put it:

"There is no 'planet B.' There is no 'planet blah.' Blah blah blah, blah blah blah."

She then laid into U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, mocking his now infamous quote from President Biden's virtual climate summit earlier this year, which many interpreted as patronizing lip-service about fighting climate change.

"This is not about 'some expensive, politically correct act of bunny hugging' or blah blah blah."

Thunberg then took aim at Biden, mocking his signature budget and economic recovery legislation, "Build Back Better."

"Build Back Better, blah blah blah."

While "Build Back Better" does include climate change initiatives, activists and scientists alike have roundly criticized it for exactly the same shortcomings Thunberg pointed out in her speech: Biden's initiatives are too little, too late and don't at all accord with the level of crisis even Biden himself admits is befalling the world.

Or, as Thunberg went on to say:

"Green economy. Blah blah blah. Net zero by 2050. Blah, blah, blah."

"This is all we hear from our so-called leaders. Words that sound great but so far have not led to action.

"Our hopes and dreams drown in their empty promises."

On Twitter, many applauded Thunberg's straight-talking truth-to-power approach.

\u201c\u2018But he hasn't got anything on,\u2019 a little child said.\u201dhttps://twitter.com/nowthisnews/status/1443068769702584323\u00a0\u2026
— Leah McElrath \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08 (@Leah McElrath \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08) 1632938691

It's not just a cute jab, it is a real frustration with big elite institutions, branded as purveyors of social-good, that don't seem to really care that much about following through on their words. Anyone who's been in the social sector long enough feels it.https://twitter.com/ajplus/status/1443380071809515524\u00a0\u2026
— Davey Min Sun Kim (@Davey Min Sun Kim) 1632966051

Every year #UNGA world leaders come with well written speech by a team of experts, enact the content to applause of the gallery.\n\nWhile they exit the UNGA hall they do not even remember what they just promised.\n\nResponsibility without accountability.\n\n@GretaThunberg
— Human Being (@Human Being) 1632889780

European lawmakers have voted to prolong subsidies for fossil fuel gas until 2027!\n\nInsteading of subsidising fossil fuels companies, these subsidies should be going to the renewable energy sector.\n\nWorld leaders must unite & do more than \ud835\ude57\ud835\ude61\ud835\ude56\ud835\ude5d, \ud835\ude57\ud835\ude61\ud835\ude56\ud835\ude5d, \ud835\ude57\ud835\ude61\ud835\ude56\ud835\ude5d!\n\n#DemVoice1https://twitter.com/BBCWorld/status/1442903446584115207\u00a0\u2026
— Tony Hussein #DemVoice1 (@Tony Hussein #DemVoice1) 1632916581

Listening to her gives me nothing but hope. Keep this energy going!
— \ud83c\udf3e Ivan Molina \ud83c\udf3e (@\ud83c\udf3e Ivan Molina \ud83c\udf3e) 1632890189

No. Greta is a hero of our times.
— Susan (@Susan) 1632904774

Hard to argue with her assessment.
— Stan Van Gundy (@Stan Van Gundy) 1632944365

So much respect for that young person. I am in awe of what she has done, and is still doing.
— \u00c6nesidemusOZ (aka Grandalf) \ud83d\ude37\ud83d\udc89\ud83d\udc89\ud83d\ude08\ud83d\udc00 (@\u00c6nesidemusOZ (aka Grandalf) \ud83d\ude37\ud83d\udc89\ud83d\udc89\ud83d\ude08\ud83d\udc00) 1632906855

She's right, which is why weird middle aged men have a problem with her.https://twitter.com/washingtonpost/status/1443232215832436740\u00a0\u2026
— Laz, Lazarou Monkiest of Terrors 3.5%\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\ud83d\udc99\ud83d\ude80 (@Laz, Lazarou Monkiest of Terrors 3.5%\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\ud83d\udc99\ud83d\ude80) 1632928597

She doesn\u2019t misshttps://twitter.com/washingtonpost/status/1443232215832436740\u00a0\u2026
— Ben Rough (@Ben Rough) 1632929172

That young lady speaks better English, and more sense, than @BorisJohnson
— Jeff Gill (@Jeff Gill) 1632900427

Thunberg's speech went on to issue a dire warning to world leaders, who are set to meet in Glasgow in November for the COP26 conference, the largest gathering of world leaders to address the climate change emergency since the 2015 Paris agreements.

"We can still turn this around – it is entirely possible. It will take immediate, drastic annual emission reductions. But not if things go on like today."

"Our leaders' intentional lack of action is a betrayal toward all present and future generations."

Here's hoping they take her words to heart.

From Your Site Articles

Latest Stories

Start your day right!

Greta Thunberg Rips World Leaders For Being All Talk And No Action On Climate Change: 'Blah Blah Blah'

Latest News

Don’t Miss Out

More from News

Most Read

Viewings

The Slug

Damn Taco Bell

Second Date

She's Gone

All. The. Time.

Holding the Audience

BLAH

Whatever

Silly...

The Insult

EWWW...

A Shell

Give me Fruit

Psycho