Riyaz Patel
Delivering a clear and direct message at the opening of the UN’s Climate Action Summit Monday, acclaimed 16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg told world leaders they are still “not mature enough to tell it like it is.”
She added, bluntly, “you are failing us, But the young people are starting to understand your betrayal. The eyes of all future generations are upon you, and if you choose to fail us, I say, we will never forgive you.”
Thunberg was speaking directly to dozens of Heads of State and Government, business leaders, and senior representatives from civil society from around the world, who lined up at UN Headquarters to promise far-reaching steps to beat climate change.
South Africa’s International Relations Minister, Naledi Pandor, standing in for President Cyril Ramaphosa, said: “We feel a very strong attachment to the focus of the theme and we believe it speaks to many of the matters that confront South Africa as well as the African continent.”
Pandor also reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to working together with other nations to tackle these issues, such as action on climate change.
“We think the world is somewhat losing its footing in terms of its commitment to multilateralism,” she said.
More than 170 presidents and heads of state are expected to attend this year’s session.
The build-up to the Summit has included the latest scientific report of potentially catastrophic global warming, unprecedented demonstrations for climate action, and steady pressure from UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, who had demanded that world leaders come to New York with “bold action and much greater ambition.”
Launching the Summit, Guterres said: “We have had enough talk. This is not a climate negotiation summit. You don’t negotiate with nature. This is a climate action summit.”
Guterres reiterated the urgency and importance of the situation, describing the man-made climate change as an existential threat when he warned “if we don’t urgently change our way of life, we jeopardize life itself,” but insisted that he is hopeful that this enormous global challenge can be overcome.
“Nature is angry – and we fool ourselves if we think we can fool nature because nature always strikes back – and around the world, nature is striking back with fury,” said the UN chief.
