Greta Thunberg’s commitment to saving the planet is a task unrivalled by any political figure’s own motivations to make palpable change. She’s undistracted, aiming to help halt and eventually reverse the effects of the climate crisis so that future generations can enjoy a planet their forefathers seem hellbent on destroying. And in 2020, as the coronavirus pandemic brought the world to a weird, frenzied standstill, her dedication was unshakable. Tomorrow marks the beginning of the Climate Ambition Summit, where world leaders will gather five years on from the signing of the Paris Agreement, to track progress and knuckle down on the ways in which their work can improve. But they’ve been slacking, and Greta has noticed.
In this video released by The Guardian, Greta issues a stark warning to those gathering on Saturday for the summit, concisely pointing out their failings and why action is needed now. Last time they met, they agreed to keep the global temperature rise below 2 degrees celsius, aiming for a safer figure of 1.5 degrees. “Since then, a lot has happened,” Greta says in the video. “But the action needed is still nowhere in sight. The gap between what we need to do and what is actually being done is widening by the minute. We are still speeding in the wrong direction.” She goes on to point out that the past five years have been the hottest on record, and criticises the hypothetical targets set by leaders. Ones that look appealing in theory, but are never truly acted upon.
She finishes her statement by pointing out that change is still possible, and that the world can be saved if we act quick enough. “There is hope,” she says. “We are the hope. We, the people”
While her face has remained largely out of gaudy tabloid headlines and the international media — documentary of her life aside — Greta hasn’t retreated from public view fully during the pandemic. She’s still hosting her internationally adopted Friday school strikes, albeit digitally, until it is safe to do so in person.