Greta Thunberg Tells Davos: You've Done Nothing On Climate Change [Full Speech]

Greta Thunberg brought a stark message to the business elite gathering in Davos: Everybody is talking about climate change, but nobody is doing anything.

Her appearance at the opening of the World Economic Forum was a striking sign that the debate about how to stop the Earth warming has become mainstream in business circles. Yet only a handful of executives from the oil, gas and coal industries that are chiefly responsible for warming the planet were seen attending the panel at which Thunberg spoke on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump used his speech at the event to tout the benefits of soaring American oil and gas production and make a thinly veiled attack on those who warn about looming environmental catastrophe.

“The climate and environment is a hot topic right now, thanks to young people pushing,” 17-year-old Thunberg said at the Swiss ski resort, where about 3,000 business and political leaders gather each year. “Pretty much nothing has been done, since the global emissions of CO2 have not reduced.”

The Swedish activist’s words came as the World Economic Forum sounds alarm bells on climate change. This year and for the first time on record, environmental risks occupy the group’s top five long-term concerns, while corporate executives say they’re increasingly concerned about environmental issues. But young activists at Davos said none of this is enough.

Thunberg is giving relevance to the Davos gathering, which for years has suffered from criticism that it was largely a billionaires’ playground where the rich debated among themselves without hearing outside voices. On Tuesday, there was a full room at this first 8:30 a.m. panel featuring young activists -- something relatively unusual for a climate change event at Davos.

The debate on climate change is forcing businesses to respond to demands to stop carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions. While some have been slow in embracing the fight, executives at Davos highlighted that the overall views from within the business community have dramatically changed over the last decade or so, moving from denial and questioning science into complete acceptance.

“I have come to Davos for well over a decade and I see behind the scenes, among top executives, a huge change in perception of the risk of climate change,” said Marco Dunand, the head of Mercuria Energy Trading SA, one of the worlds’ largest oil traders. “It’s not just talk: it’s translating into billions of dollars in investments in the energy transition.”

Activists’ language has made its way to boardrooms across the world too. At another morning panel at Davos, Iberdrola SA Chief Executive Officer Ignacio Galan called on companies to close coal-powered plants in order to curb emissions.

[nilo]

Is there a Transcript of her speech, that can be downloaded anywhewere? Maybe even in different languages (German)...

[joeyholthusen]

Precession is real the earth wobbles in space. Earth will warm up regardless of humans or not.

[michael-rhfd]

I want a goose that lays golden eggs and I want it now.

[FrankAndTinaOfficial]

You need to look at the history of the planet! Not just the history of man! Welcome to the Earth!! The Climate changes here! No offense to a 17 YO girl but I choose to follow someone with a little more experience.

[korbit]

Much Respect from Florida Greta. We'll be among the first to go if we don't get our act together on climate change, and by "we" I mean all the industrialized nations on the planet because this is not a local or national issue it is truly GLOBAL.

[IHMadeThis]

She triggers conservatives. It's sad how bitter and dead inside conservatives are.

[praysuguitan]

Be direct girl---tell the world to stop eating anything beef stop driving and riding planes and vehicles that use hydro carbon fuels stop using electricity that uses hydrocarbon fuel stop producing babies😃

[blemieshine]

Hey, Australia is very hot..Thailand is very polluted with PM2.5....Chinese facing new diseases...Asia is dying....the world is crying...for help

[richardb]

Genius Child.. Amazing, but according to Al Gore in 2006 his film said we had 10 years back then.

[meeses]

I didn't know this was her second time there in 2 years. Its depressing how none of the world powers have done anything.

[Puddlesmolly]

Wonder what she will have to say in 12 yrs time . If she's still

[NC_SUGAR]

Ask her questions. Greta has speeches written for her. Her father taught her how to act and if you ask her questions, she almost never answers. She says give someone else the questions.

[DonFervo]

There are some points I'd like to address which I can find frequently in this comment section


People don't listen: Is wrong. People are listening, we can see ralleys and movements almost everywhere. Politicians are starting to listen too, they're just scared to loose their voters in the middle-age and above, which is a big proportion. Scared of those people who lived their past 30-40-50-60 years in the economic upswing, where they acutally had a choice on how to live. These ladies and gentlemen are now confronted by a young generation stating that THEY destroyed their future.


She's only talking, not acting: pointing at a problem and discussing it is acting. Gathering the attention of millions of people to encourage a re-think, is acting. If you expect her to provide solutions for a challenge of global scale, I'd like to know what you did at an age of 16. On the other hand, you don't listen to people with hard facts. 98% scientists agree that the human made climate change is real ( https:// climate . nasa . gov / scientific - consensus / ) and will threaten our near future.


And of course does she get help by her parents, familiy and rich people like Soros. I also wouldn't like my daughter to read comments like here and below her tweets. And I can see where the hate against Soros is comming from, as he is a philonthropist who doesn't like Trump.


Just take yourself 5 minutes and do a little google search about the topic of climate change in the past 1000 years. Your stoic behavior puts you right next to the politicians you despise.

[thegreenrocket]

Thank you for your continued advocacy and speaking on the truth of science Greta Thunberg, despite all the backlash and hate you receive from both lying politicians and sheep deniers.

[butchr]

Your appeal to the young generation is your best bet for getting your message out, they are listening to you. It's to late for most of the population who are older than you they are the obstacles
you will face every day. But you already know that.

[rodneygangloff]

Our children have no dog in the fight, no money contracts or shame for the Corp fraud. In the life time of our last days the old people, will suffer their lies.

[GeneralSlayer]

She is so sad. Her parents should be prosecuted for abuse. It is very sad how people will use a child.

[chrishi]

In 30 years India is going to add another 400 million people, that is more then the entire population of US or Europe. Nigeria will double its population to 400 million and grow to 800 million by the end of the century. The destruction of natural envoronments and resource depletion in the countries with exploding population is catastrophic, and there don't seam to be much concern about it. Yet a little girl from a very clean country with tiny population, is concerned about global warming. 

If you want to find solution to human problems read the book "Frighten the World into Prosperity"

[Brian-xytw]

fear is a useful tool. relentless fear

[camgftw]

A bunch of dissatisfied, brainwashed, rural Americans in the comments. “CLIMATE CHANGE AINT REAAAHL! THERES IS SNOW IN ANTARCTICA!”