Young Activists Criticize World Leaders for Lack of Climate Action
2021-09-29
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1Young climate activists have criticized world leaders for continually failing to follow through on climate change promises.
2The criticism came during the opening of an international gathering of about 400 youth climate activists that opened Tuesday in Milan, Italy.
3The purpose of the three-day Youth4Climate meeting is to decide on suggestions to send to a major United Nations climate summit set to begin October 31 in Glasgow, Scotland.
4Well-known Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg spoke to the group.
5She said leaders have promised over the years to fight climate change.
6But she added that very little action has taken place since the first United Nations Earth Summit was held in 1992.
7"Thirty years of blah, blah, blah," the 18-year-old Thunberg said.
8"And where has this led us?"
9She noted that half of all carbon emissions had happened since 1990 and one-third since 2005.
10"So-called leaders have cherry-picked young people to meetings like this to pretend they are listening to us, but they are not listening," Thunberg added.
11She said emissions of carbon dioxide gas (CO2) emissions are still rising, and noted that "science doesn't lie."
12"Leaders like to say, 'We can do it.' They obviously don't mean it. But we do," she told the gathering.
13Another activist to speak was 24-year-old Vanessa Nakate from Uganda.
14She said that promises of $117 billion a year to help nations especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change had not come through.
15She said the money is urgently needed as recent wildfires and floods in the United States and Europe showed that "loss and damage is now possible everywhere."
16"No more empty conferences. It's time to show us the money," Nakate said.
17"It's time, it's time, it's time. And, don't forget to listen to the most affected people and areas."
18Nakate spoke about how climate change was affecting her own continent.
19Just last week, she said she saw police taking away a body that had been washed away by violent storms in Uganda's capital, Kampala.
20Her mother told her that one man caught in the water had been trying to save the goods he was selling from being washed away.
21Thunberg created the worldwide protest movement Fridays for Future.
22She noted in her comments that it was not too late to turn around the harmful effects of climate change.
23She called for "constructive" negotiations to move policies forward.
24Later this week in Milan, about 50 of the world's climate ministers will meet to discuss issues to be considered at the U.N.'s Climate Change Conference in Glasgow.
25The Milan meeting will aim to find common ground on disagreements among countries.
26Among the issues to be discussed include how quickly climate change policies should be put in place and how they will be paid for.
27Hopes for a successful Glasgow summit have been raised by announcements from the world's two biggest economies and largest carbon polluters, the United States and China.
28Chinese President Xi Jinping said his country would no longer fund coal-fired plants abroad.
29And U.S. President Joe Biden announced a plan to double financial aid for green industry growth to poorer nations.
30I'm Bryan Lynn.
1Young climate activists have criticized world leaders for continually failing to follow through on climate change promises. 2The criticism came during the opening of an international gathering of about 400 youth climate activists that opened Tuesday in Milan, Italy. The purpose of the three-day Youth4Climate meeting is to decide on suggestions to send to a major United Nations climate summit set to begin October 31 in Glasgow, Scotland. 3Well-known Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg spoke to the group. She said leaders have promised over the years to fight climate change. But she added that very little action has taken place since the first United Nations Earth Summit was held in 1992. "Thirty years of blah, blah, blah," the 18-year-old Thunberg said. "And where has this led us?" 4She noted that half of all carbon emissions had happened since 1990 and one-third since 2005. 5"So-called leaders have cherry-picked young people to meetings like this to pretend they are listening to us, but they are not listening," Thunberg added. 6She said emissions of carbon dioxide gas (CO2) emissions are still rising, and noted that "science doesn't lie." "Leaders like to say, 'We can do it.' They obviously don't mean it. But we do," she told the gathering. 7Another activist to speak was 24-year-old Vanessa Nakate from Uganda. She said that promises of $117 billion a year to help nations especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change had not come through. She said the money is urgently needed as recent wildfires and floods in the United States and Europe showed that "loss and damage is now possible everywhere." 8"No more empty conferences. It's time to show us the money," Nakate said. "It's time, it's time, it's time. And, don't forget to listen to the most affected people and areas." 9Nakate spoke about how climate change was affecting her own continent. Just last week, she said she saw police taking away a body that had been washed away by violent storms in Uganda's capital, Kampala. Her mother told her that one man caught in the water had been trying to save the goods he was selling from being washed away. 10Thunberg created the worldwide protest movement Fridays for Future. She noted in her comments that it was not too late to turn around the harmful effects of climate change. She called for "constructive" negotiations to move policies forward. 11Later this week in Milan, about 50 of the world's climate ministers will meet to discuss issues to be considered at the U.N.'s Climate Change Conference in Glasgow. The Milan meeting will aim to find common ground on disagreements among countries. Among the issues to be discussed include how quickly climate change policies should be put in place and how they will be paid for. 12Hopes for a successful Glasgow summit have been raised by announcements from the world's two biggest economies and largest carbon polluters, the United States and China. Chinese President Xi Jinping said his country would no longer fund coal-fired plants abroad. And U.S. President Joe Biden announced a plan to double financial aid for green industry growth to poorer nations. 13I'm Bryan Lynn. 14The Associated Press and Reuters reported on this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the reports for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. 15We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. 16__________________________________________ 17Words in This Story 18summit - n. an important meeting between the leaders of two or more governments 19blah - n. boring or ordinary 20emission - n. the act of producing or sending out something (such as energy or gas) from a source 21cherry-pick - v. to pick only the best people or things from a group 22pretend - v. to behave as if something is true when it is not 23obvious - adj. easy to understand or see 24vulnerable - adj. easily hurt or harmed physically, mentally, or emotionally 25constructive - adj. helpful or useful 26fund - v. to finance