Thunberg, Neubauer speak after meeting Merkel

Young activists, including Swedish teenr Greta Thunberg, held talks Thursday with German Chancellor Angela Merkel to press ir demands for tougher action on curbing climate change and to get ir cause back on political nda.

Thunberg, 17, Luisa Neubauer, 24, of Germany and Belgians Anuna de Wever van der Heyden, 19, and élaïde Charlier, 19, were accompanied by a handful of climate protesters as y arrived at chancellery in Berlin, first talks youth activists have held with a he of government since start of pandemic.

"We are sort of in loop where everyone blames each or because one can do everything so n one does anything," said Thunberg, speaking after meeting.

17-year-old shot to fame after starting her solo protests outside Swedish parliament two years ago.

" climate crisis doesn't pause and so we need to think of how to divide our tension (attention) and our energy and to act," said climate activist, Luisa Neubauer.

Students around world began following her le, staging regular large protests, and Thunberg was invited to speak to political and business leers at UN conferences and annual World Ecomic Forum in Davos.

But coronavirus outbreak has prevented Fridays for Future movement that Thunberg inspired from holding its mass rallies in recent months, dampening its public profile.

activists h sought a meeting with chancellor because Germany currently holds six-month rotating presidency of European Union, which toger with Britain accounts for 22% of all man-me greenhouse gas emissions.

Merkel has in past lauded youth activists for putting pressure on politicians to act against global warming.