The ongoing 26th COP to UNFCCC summit has seen its fair share of criticism of leaders and policies from within its walls and institutional structures, but there is a groundswell of youth climate activist movements outside the venue that are stressing more urgent action and sometimes expressing disillusionment with the event itself.
Celebrated youth climate activist Greta Thunberg, who also shot to notoriety in India along with Disha Ravi for the alleged ‘toolkit’ case aimed at supporting the farmers’ protests in India, has called the summit a “failure”. In a protest rally yesterday held at Glasgow, the venue of the summit, she said “The leaders are not doing nothing. They are actively creating loopholes ... to benefit themselves”.
Her statement comes after leaders at the summit made some pledges including an anti-deforestation commitment and energy transition away from coal. “We don't need any more distant, non binding pledges. We don't need any more empty promises” she told the gathered protestors there, the vast majority of whom were young adults aged from 18 to their early and mid-twenties.
Media reports on ground report sentiments of “frustration” and worry about the future of the climate crisis. Baners like "Our parents will die from old age. Our children will die from climate change” could be seen at the protest.
Latest Videos
