GS@XR
One year ago, I came to Davos and told you that our house is on fire
I said I wanted you to panic
I've been warned that telling people to panic about the climate crisis is a very dangerous thing to do
But don't worry, it's fine
Trust me. I've done this before and I can assure you It doesn't lead to anything
and for the record
When we're children telling you to panic? We're not telling you to go on like before.
We're not telling you to rely on technologies
that don't even exist today at scale and that science says perhaps never will.
We are not telling you to keep talking about reaching Net Zero emissions
or carbon neutrality
by cheating and fiddling around with numbers.
We're not telling you to
offset your emissions by just paying someone else to plant trees in places like Africa
while at the same time
forests like the Amazon are being slaughtered at an infinitely higher rate.
Planting trees is good of course
but it's nowhere near enough of what is needed and it cannot replace real mitigation
and rewilding nature.
And let's be clear. We don't need a Low-carbon economy.
We don't need to lower emissions.
Our emissions have to stop if we are to have a chance to stay below the 1.5 degree target
and until we have the technologies
That, at scale, can put our emissions to minus then we must forget about net zero
We need real zero
Because distant net zero emission targets will mean
absolutely, nothing if we just continue to Ignore the carbon dioxide budget
that applies for today not distant future dates
if high emissions continue like now even for a few years
that remaining budget will soon be completely used up
The fact that the USA is leaving the Paris Accord seemed to outrage and worry everyone
and It should.
But the fact that we are all about to fail the commitments you signed up for in the Paris agreement
Doesn't seem to bother the people in power even the least
any plan or policy of yours that doesn't include radical emission cuts at the source starting today
is completely insufficient for meeting the 1.5 or well below 2 degree commitments of the Paris agreements
and again, this is not about right or left
We couldn't care less about your party politics.
From sustainability perspective the right the left as well as the center have all failed.
No political ideology or economic structure has been able to tackle the climate and environmental emergency
and create a cohesive and sustainable world
Because that world, in case you haven't noticed, is currently on fire!
You say children shouldn't worry.
You say just leave this to us.
We will fix this.
We promise we won't let you down. Don't be so pessimistic and then...
Nothing
Silence or something worse than silence?
Empty words and promises which give the impression that sufficient action is being taken.
All the solutions are obviously not available within today's societies.
Nor do we have the time to wait for new technological solutions to become available
to start drastically reducing our emissions.
So, of course the transition isn't going to be
Easy
It will be hard and unless we start facing this now together with all cards on the table
We won't be able to solve this
In time
In the days running up to the 50th anniversary of the World Economic Forum
I joined a group of climate activists demanding
that you, The world's most powerful and influential business and political leaders
begin to take the action needed
We demand at this year's World Economic Forum participants from all companies banks
institutions and governments
immediately halt all investments in fossil fuel exploration and extraction.
Immediately end all fossil fuel subsidies.
And immediately and completely divest from fossil fuels.
We don't want these things done by 2050 2030 or even 2021. We want this done now
It may seem like we are asking for a lot and you will of course say that we are naive.
But this is just the very minimum amount of effort that is needed to start the rapid sustainable transition.
So either you do this
or you're gonna have to explain to your children why you are giving up on the 1.5 degree target.
Giving up without even trying.
Well, I'm here to tell you that unlike you, my generation will not give up without a fight.
The facts are clear, but they are still too uncomfortable for you to address.
You just leave it because you think it's too depressing and people will give up.
But people will not give up you are the ones who are giving up.
Last week. I met with Polish coal miners who lost their jobs because their mine was closed
and even they had not given up
on the contrary they seemed to understand the fact that we need to change
More than you do!
I wonder what will you tell your children was the reason to fail and leave them facing a climate chaos?
That you knowingly brought upon them
That it seemed so bad for the economy
that we decided to resign the idea of securing future living conditions without even trying
Our house is still on fire
your inaction is fueling the flames by the hour
and we are telling you to act as if you loved your children above all else.
Thank you