Thunberg slams Davos elites on climate as Trump takes stage

Four young climate activists, including Greta Thunberg, told elites gared at World Ecomic Forum y are t doing eugh to deal with climate emergency and warned m that time was running out.

At a panel in Swiss ski resort of Davos, four said Tuesday that y hoped ir generation h found its voice and can work with those in power to bring about necessary change to limit climate change. Yet Thunberg said t eugh has been done.

“We need to start listening to science, and treat this crisis with importance it deserves,” said 17-year-old, just as U.S. President Donald Trump was arriving in Davos, where he later gave a speech. Trump has pulled U.S. out of Paris accord to limit climate change and has tred barbs with Thunberg on social media.

“Without treating it as a real crisis we cant solve it,” Thunberg said.

Swedish teenr came to fame by staging a regular strike at her school, sparking a global movement that eventually earned her Time Magazine’s award as 2019 Person of Year.

She said that people are more aware about climate issues w. “It feels like climate and environment is a hot topic w, thanks to young people pushing.”

ors on panel were just as forceful and passionate about effects of global warming and how y, as young people, need to play a central role in raising awareness and insist on change.

“ older generation has a lot of experience, but we have ideas, we have energy, and we have solutions,” said Natasha Wang Mwansa, an 18-year-old activist from Zambia who campaigns for girls’ and women’s rights.

Salvor Gómez-Colón, who raised funds and awareness after Hurricane María devastated his native Puerto Rico in 2017, said young activists are doing more than just talking.

“We’re t waiting five, 10, 20 years to take action we want to see. We’re t future of world, we’re present, we’re acting w. We’re t waiting any longer.”

Thunberg said time for action was w, that being at top of nda meant thing if world doesn’t get to grips with climate emergency.

“I am t person who can complain about t being heard. I’m being heard all time,” she quipped. “But in general science and voice of young people is t in center of conversation.”

Autumn Peltier, chief water commissioner for Anishinabek Nation of indigeus people in Cana, said plaudits are t what y are looking for at World Ecomic Forum.

“I don’t want your awards. If you are going to award me, award me with helping to find solutions and helping to make change.”

Thunberg cited a report released in 2018 by U.N.’s science panel that calculated amount of ditional carbon dioxide atmosphere can absorb before global aver temperature increases exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit). Leers agreed to try to stay below that threshold when y signed 2015 Paris climate accord, but scientists warn chances of doing so are dwindling.

Thunberg ted that remaining carbon “budget” to confidently meet that target stood at just 420 gigatons of CO2 two years ago, equivalent of 10 years of global emissions. Even with a more optimistic calculation, keeping global temperature rise below 1.5 C would require a massive reduction in emissions over next two deces.

“se numbers aren’t anyone’s political opinions or political views,” said Thunberg. “This is current best-available science.”