Milan’s Youth4climate summit has drawn activists, international policymakers, and other figures interested in tackling global warming.
However, the environmental activist Greta Thunberg criticized the discussions at the summit. She dismissed the politicians’ speeches as glib blathering.
“There is no Planet B. There is no Planet Blah,” she said in a speech. “Blah blah blah, blah blah blah.”
She reserved her sharpest criticisms for President Joe Biden. “Build back better, blah blah blah,” she sneered, mocking Biden’s slogan.
After that, she ridiculed Biden’s campaign promise.
Biden promised to put the U.S. on a path toward eliminating net emissions of carbon by 2050. Thunberg remained skeptical. She said:
Green economy, blah blah blah. Net zero by ’25, 2050, blah blah blah. Net zero by 2050, blah blah blah. Net zero, blah blah blah. Climate-neutral, blah blah blah. This is all we hear from our so-called leaders: words, words that sound great but so far have led to no action. Our hopes and dreams drown in their empty words and promises.
Ouch!
She continued:
Of course we need constructive dialogue. But we’ve now had 30 years of blah blah blah. And where has that led us? Over 50 percent of all our CO2 emissions have occurred since 1990 — and a third since 2005 — all this while the media is reporting on what the leaders say that they’re going to do, instead of what they’re actually doing. And they’re not holding the leaders accountable for their actions or, rather, inaction.
Thunberg also took shots at U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Thunberg said, “This is not about some expensive, politically correct, green act of bunny hugging or blah blah blah.”
In the past, Johnson has played up the economic benefits of his environmental policies. He once said., “It’s vital for all of us to show that this is not all about some expensive, politically correct, green act of bunny hugging. What I’m driving at is this is about growth and jobs.”
Thunberg also took aim at India’s controversial Prime Minister Narendra Modi, The Guardian reported. However, no video has emerged yet.
The climate emergency requires our urgent action. As president, I will:
– Ensure we achieve a 100% clean energy economy and net-zero emissions by 2050
– Rejoin the #ParisAgreement and rally the world to go further
– Make the largest-ever investment in clean energy— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) April 22, 2020
Folks, the evidence is clear, climate change poses an existential threat to our lives and our economy. But we can stop it from getting worse.
Our Build Back Better plan will make investments to fight the climate crisis, cut emissions, and make our infrastructure more resilient.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) September 8, 2021
Thunberg, 18, first achieved fame a few years ago as a child activist, in the tradition of Malala and David Hogg. At the summit in Milan, she shared the stage with other young adults, like the Ugandan environmental activist Vanessa Nakate.
Some outlets have described the Milan summit as “pre-COP26.”
“COP26” refers to the 26th Conference of the Parties, an upcoming event where the United Nations will discuss global warming.
The COP meetings gained national attention from 2015 to 2017. During that time, Republicans and Democrats were fighting about whether to follow the agreement reached at 21st conference. Former President Barack Obama committed to the COP21 agreement, but former President Donald Trump pulled out.
COP26 will take place in Glasgow, U.K., between October and November of this year.
Watch the video of Thunberg here —
The Horn editorial team