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Writer: Adora Brown
Greta Thunberg, a sixteen-year-old environmental activist from Sweden, is bringing about new changes for the environmental movement. Thunberg has become one of the most influential teens, according to TIME magazine. She began her movement in 2018 with a school strike, and her influence has now spread to include thousands around the world. The term “Fridays for Future” has spread to encourage students to participate in walkouts across the globe. From Lima to London, climate strikes are bringing in a new generation of environmental activists.
Greta is open about her struggles in life. At the age of eleven, Greta stopped eating and speaking. Later, she was diagnosed with selective mutism, Asperger’s, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
When referring to her selective mutism, Thunberg said, “That means I only speak when I think it's necessary - now is one of those moments.”
Greta openly criticizes the actions, or lack thereof, that developed countries have taken to address issues relating to global warming. She identified that rich countries, such as Sweden and the United States, need to reduce their carbon emissions by 15% annually to avoid significant global warming.
Thunberg said, “How can we expect countries like India or Nigeria to care about the climate crisis if we who already have everything don't care even a second about it?”
The lack of action taken by more affluent countries concerns Greta Thunberg, considering these changes must occur to prevent a two-degrees Celsius increase in temperature each year.
Climate change is exacerbated by many contributors on Earth, yet the most impactful is humans. Burning greenhouse gases for factories and cars, clearing forests, and depletion of natural resources all result in a warmer earth. As we continue to use greenhouse gases, they rise into the atmosphere and create a “blanket.” When more carbon is emitted into the atmosphere, the blanket thickens and increases temperature.
Burning fossil fuels for energy is responsible for 23 billion tons of carbon emissions annually, according to the World Wildlife Funds.
“What we do or don't do right now will affect my entire life and the lives of my children and grandchildren. What we do or don't do right now, me and my generation can't undo in the future,” proclaimed Thunberg. The irreversible effects of humans’ treatment of the environment are detrimental to future generations’ way of life.
Yet, many organizations and scientists have already found solutions to the climate crisis, Thunberg believes. She explained, “We already have all the facts and solutions. All we have to do is to wake up and change.”
Thunberg gave an emotional speech at the United Nations on September 23. She tearfully scolded political leaders for their lack of action, saying, “How dare you? You have stolen my dreams, my childhood, with your empty words.”
The effects of leaders’ response to such crises will soon result in irreversible damage. Ecosystems, diversity, and quality of life will be altered to a point of no return. Greta Thunberg is fighting this backward political system. She believes that the solutions exist, and all we need is to enact these solutions.
Thunberg declared, “The one thing we need more than hope is action. Once we start to act, hope is everywhere.”
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