Ambiente, l’appello di Greta

Dear friends,

Humanity is failing to stop the climate crisis. It’s now beyond urgent — the planet is screaming for help.

Right now world leaders are meeting for historic climate talks — but pledges without real action won’t cut it anymore. We need bold, visionary leaders to finally do what’s needed to pull us back from the abyss.

I’ll be at the talks with inspiring youth leaders like Vanessa Nakate and Dominika Lasota. We’ll personally meet dozens of governments — it’s the perfect opportunity to deliver a giant call for urgent action. Join us now: add your name with one click and pass this on.

To world leaders,

“Betrayal.”

That’s how young people around the world describe our governments’ failure to cut carbon emissions. And it’s no surprise.

We are catastrophically far from the crucial goal of 1.5°C, and yet governments everywhere are still accelerating the crisis, spending billions on fossil fuels.

This is not a drill. It’s code red for the Earth. Millions will suffer as our planet is devastated — a terrifying future that will be created, or avoided, by the decisions you make. You have the power to decide.

As citizens across the planet, we urge you to face up to the climate emergency. Not next year. Not next month. Now:

• Keep the precious goal of 1.5°C alive with immediate, drastic, annual emission reductions unlike anything the world has ever seen.
• End all fossil fuel investments, subsidies, and new projects immediately, and stop new exploration and extraction.
• End ‘creative’ carbon accounting by publishing total emissions for all consumption indices, supply chains, international aviation and shipping, and the burning of biomass.
• Deliver the $100bn promised to the most vulnerable countries, with additional funds for climate disasters.
• Enact climate policies to protect workers and the most vulnerable, and reduce all forms of inequality.

We can still do this. There is still time to avoid the worst consequences if we are prepared to change. It will take determined, visionary leadership. And it will take immense courage — but know that when you rise, billions will be right behind you.

It can feel incredibly hard to keep hope alive in the face of inaction. But my hope lies in people — in the millions of us who are rising to save the future. It lies in our marches, in our dogged determination to keep fighting, and in our trembling voices as we speak truth to power. My hope is rooted in action and fuelled by a love for humanity and our most beautiful earth. It’s what keeps me absolutely convinced that we can do this. And we must do this. Together.

With fierce hope,

Greta from Sweden, with Vanessa from Uganda, Dominika from Poland, Mitzi from the Philippines, youth activists across the world, and the whole team at Avaaz

More information:

• World is failing to make changes needed to avoid climate breakdown, report finds (The Guardian)
• It’s Time for COP26. Here’s Where We Stand. (New York Times)
• The impacts of climate change at 1.5C, 2C and beyond (Carbon Brief)
• UN sounds alarm on missing climate pledges (Reuters)