On August 20, 2018, Greta Thunberg decided not to attend school. Why? She figured that our planet was at risk because of global warming and it was time to act.
The recent wildfires and heat wave in Sweden — considered a role model for many countries — added to her cause, and she decided to be heard. A Std IX student, she decided to set school and classes aside until the general elections were over on September 9.
Making demands
Greta wants the Swedish government to reduce carbon emissions as per the Paris Agreement. She has been protesting by sitting outside the Riksdag (the national legislature and supreme decision-making body) every day for two weeks, during school hours, with the sign Skolstrejk för klimatet (School strike for the climate).
She continued her protest even after the general elections were over. Every Friday, she is seen outside the parliament.
She hands out leaflets that say:
“I am doing this because you adults are shitting on my future.”
“I am doing this because nobody else is doing anything. It is my moral responsibility to do what I can.”
“I want the politicians to prioritise the climate question, focus on the climate and treat it like a crisis.”
Today, she has inspired school students across the globe to take part in student strikes. In three months, as many as 20,000 students have held strikes in at least 270 cities.
Rumbles of change
Greta has asked fellow citizens to leave hope aside and instead, panic. She has urged everyone to feel fear and start taking a step toward change. Tens of thousands of young climate change activists in at least 112 countries skipped school on March 15 demanding stronger action on climate change from their governments.
With this solidarity Greta feels the momentum is now building. “I think enough people have realised just how absurd the situation is. We are in the middle of the biggest crisis in human history and basically nothing is being done to prevent it. I think what we are seeing is the beginning of great changes and that is very hopeful,” she says.
Greta speak
October 2018: Greta participated in the Rise for Climate demonstration outside the European Parliament in Brussels.
December 2018: Greta addressed the COP24 United Nations climate change summit
January 2019: Greta addressed the gathering at the World Economic Forum in Davos enlightening them on how “our house is on fire”.
February 2019: She spoke at a conference of the European Economic and Social Committee and to the European Commission where she demanded that to meet the climate goals the EU must reduce their CO2 emissions by at least 80% until 2030.
