Greta Thunberg speaks out: Glasgow COP26 is ‘a failure’

Thousands of young people, including Greta Thunberg, took over the city of Glasgow this Friday in the climate protest of the organization Fridays For Future (“Friday for the future”, FFF in English), and in its streets they roared against the “blah, blah, blah” and the “empty promises ” of the Climate Summit (COP26).

The protesters -25,000 according to FFF and thousands according to police sources- shouted with joy when the brief rays of sunlight that filtered through the clouds that covered the Scottish sky this Friday illuminated the colorful forest of cardboard banners that led the march, a place reserved for the natives.

SIGHT: Greta Thunberg: “Leadership is out here, not inside COP26”

To the cry of “What do we want? Climate justice! ”, Or“ Climate change is a war of the rich against the poor ”, Thousands of young activists expressed their outrage at what they consider to be passivity of the political class.

The march marched through the city center escorted by a strong police force and proceeded without incident on its way to George Square, where a scenario was set up in which various indigenous spokespersons and young people affected by the inequality caused by the climate crisis exposed the impacts they are already suffering.

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Although he made himself wait several hours, Thunberg came on stage to the cheers of an angry crowd at the fact, in his opinion, that “Leaders deliberately continue to exploit nature and people”, which “destroys present and future living conditions,” he said. Thunberg.

The Swedish activist assured that “COP26 is a failure; it is obvious that climate summits have become public relations events “, which in his opinion “only serve to perpetuate poverty and inequality”, while the elite “maintain their benefits.”

SIGHT: COP26: world leaders commit to reduce methane emissions by 30% by 2030

On COP26, Thunberg He stressed that “this is the least inclusive of how many there have been” and defined it as “a festival of ecoposturetas” in which “beautiful promises are announced”, but “behind the curtain they refuse to take any initiative for climate action.”

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg takes the stage in George Square at the finale of the Fridays For Future youth rally in Glasgow. (Ben STANSALL / AFP).

JUVENILE REJECTION

“This is an extremely expensive country and young people do not have the money to pay for this”, Costa Rican climate activist and UNICEF spokesperson at the summit, Sara Cognuck, explained to Efe.

The Bolivian environmental activist and also a UNICEF spokesperson, Adriana Salazar, told Efe that “many times we are afraid to say what the problem is” for fear “of reprisals” but this time “young people have said: the problem is the system capitalist, who is taking our lives ”.

From the stage, Ugandan environmental activist for climate justice, Vanessa Nakate, told the people who packed George Square that “we are facing a new COP, but how many more will we have to celebrate for the leaders to realize that their inaction is it destroying the planet?

“The climate in my country, Uganda, is changing rapidly” what causes that “people die and children leave school; it is a disaster that happens every day in Africa ”, a continent that“ is on the front lines of climate change, but that does not reach the front page of any newspaper, despite it ”.

“If we love the planet and the people who live on it, the result will be a sustainable, healthy, clean and beneficial planet for all,” Nakate concluded.

TRADE UNION GUESTS

Among the spokespersons who took the stage, there was one from the GMB union, representing the garbage collection workers currently on strike in Glasgow, who encouraged “the working class to fight for their rights”, which “are compatible with the climate justice ”.

“Stay by our side, not against us!”he exclaimed a raised fist to the crowd gathered in George Square.

Despite the open rejection of young activists to what happens in the COP26 facilities, its president, former British Minister Alok Sharma, asked world political leaders on Friday to “listen to the voices of young people”, which today demonstrate in Glasgow, and “incorporate them into their negotiations” on the future of the fight against climate change.

In addition, Sharma praised “the passion and commitment” shown by the youth who today protested in the streets of the Scottish city as part of the Fridays for Future movement, started by Thunberg herself.

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