BUILDING BACK BAD

Greta Thunberg Torches Global Leaders’ Climate Plans: ‘Blah, Blah, Blah’

“Our hopes and ambitions drown in their empty promises,” Thunberg said, accusing governments of “shamelessly congratulating themselves” over the climate emergency.

Greta Thunberg took world leaders to task on Tuesday, dismissing their plans to address climate change as “blah, blah, blah.” Speaking at the Youth4Climate summit in Milan, she denounced assurances made by U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and U.S. President Joe Biden. “This is all we hear from our so-called leaders: words that sound great but so far have not led to action,” Thunberg said. “Our hopes and ambitions drown in their empty promises.”

Over applause, she excoriated initiatives like Biden’s “Build Back Better” plan, and pledges to work towards a “green economy” and “net zero [emissions] by 2050.” She called governments’ “intentional lack of action” a “betrayal toward all present and future generations.” The three-day conference gathered 400 young climate activists from 180 countries, with the aim of debating and producing recommendations for a summit in Glasgow on Oct. 31. Thunberg challenged the summits’ intentions, however, accusing leaders of inviting “cherry-picked young people to meetings like this to pretend that they listen to us.” She added, “We can no longer let the people in power decide what is politically possible… Hope always comes from the people.”