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.
MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP via Getty Images
MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP via Getty Images
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