Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg has criticized the ongoing United Nations climate talks in Antalya, Turkey, as hypocritical and called for a shift in focus from profits to people and planet. Speaking at the COP31 conference on Tuesday, she accused the negotiations of being infiltrated by lobbyists from destructive industries and questioned the compatibility of current political and economic systems with human nature. Thunberg's comments come after a year marked by numerous climate-related disasters, including heatwaves, floods, and an energy crisis caused by the US-Israeli conflict with Iran. Despite Turkey and Australia, the co-hosts of COP31, promoting renewable energy and rooftop solar installations, both countries still heavily rely on fossil fuels for electricity generation. The activist emphasized that climate change poses a threat to everything we love and urged leaders to prioritize people over profits and power. Thunberg first gained prominence in 2018 when she began a solo "School Strike for Climate" outside the Swedish parliament. This is her first attendance at a climate summit since the 2021 talks in Glasgow, Scotland, where she dismissed world leaders' promises as empty rhetoric. Thunberg has also campaigned for other causes, including the Free Palestine movement and French students protesting for more school resources. Her presence at COP31 has sparked excitement among youth climate activists who are demanding more climate finance. Amber Turner, a fellow with the Alliance of Small Island States, hopes Thunberg's presence serves as a reminder of the need for meaningful change and accountability from decision-makers. Qiyun Woo, a youth environmentalist from Singapore, echoed this sentiment, stating that Thunberg's presence adds to the calls of a generation that will inherit the consequences of these negotiations. COP31 continues in Antalya until November 20, with next year's edition, COP32, scheduled for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in November 2027.
At the ongoing United Nations climate talks in Antalya, Turkey (COP31), Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg has criticized the negotiations as hypocritical. She accused the talks of being filled with lobbyists from destructive industries and questioned the compatibility of current political and economic systems with human nature. Thunberg's comments follow a year marked by numerous climate-related disasters, including heatwaves, floods, and an energy crisis caused by the US-Israeli conflict with Iran. Despite co-hosts Turkey and Australia promoting renewable energy and rooftop solar installations, both countries still heavily rely on fossil fuels for electricity generation. Thunberg emphasized that climate change poses a threat to everything we love and urged leaders to prioritize people over profits and power. The activist first gained prominence in 2018 when she began a solo "School Strike for Climate" outside the Swedish parliament. This is her first attendance at a climate summit since the 2021 talks in Glasgow, Scotland, where she dismissed world leaders' promises as empty rhetoric. Thunberg has also campaigned for other causes, including the Free Palestine movement and French students protesting for more school resources. Her presence at COP31 has sparked excitement among youth climate activists who are demanding more climate finance.
Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg has arrived at the COP31 conference in Antalya, Turkey, where she criticized the United Nations climate talks as hypocritical and called for a shift in focus from profits to people and planet. She accused the negotiations of being filled with lobbyists from destructive industries and questioned the compatibility of current political and economic systems with human nature. Thunberg's comments come after a year marked by numerous climate-related disasters, including heatwaves, floods, and an energy crisis caused by the US-Israeli conflict with Iran. Despite co-hosts Turkey and Australia promoting renewable energy and rooftop solar installations, both countries still heavily rely on fossil fuels for electricity generation. The activist emphasized that climate change poses a threat to everything we love and urged leaders to prioritize people over profits and power. Thunberg first gained prominence in 2018 when she began a solo "School Strike for Climate" outside the Swedish parliament. This is her first attendance at a climate summit since the 2021 talks in Glasgow, Scotland, where she dismissed world leaders' promises as empty rhetoric. Thunberg has also campaigned for other causes, including the Free Palestine movement and French students protesting for more school resources. Her presence at COP31 has sparked excitement among youth climate activists who are demanding more climate finance. The talks continue in Antalya until November 20, with next year's edition, COP32, scheduled for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in November 2027.