Greta Thunberg issues urgent warning at UN climate talks: 'Everything we love is at stake'

Greta Thunberg issues urgent warning at UN climate talks: 'Everything we love is at stake' This year’s conference is taking place in the Turkish city of Antalya - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Already a member? Log in Climate campaigner Greta Thunberg arrived at the UN climate summit on Tuesday, launching a sharp critique of the annual gathering as hypocritical and calling on world leaders to place people and the planet ahead of financial gain and geopolitical power. The COP31 conference, taking place in the Turkish resort city of Antalya, follows a year marked by destructive weather events, including lethal floods and heatwaves, alongside energy market turbulence triggered by the Iran war. "It’s a hypocrisy every year that the host countries are given an opportunity to whitewash themselves and we know that these negotiations are filled with lobbyists, paid by the very destructive industries which are benefiting from our extremely violent status quo," Thunberg said upon arrival. "Our political and economic systems that have become incompatible with human nature." Turkey is co-hosting the summit alongside Australia. While both nations are promoting renewable energy expansion and rooftop solar power, both continue to rely heavily on fossil fuels, particularly coal, for electricity generation. Previous host nations, including Brazil, the United Arab Emirates, and Azerbaijan, are major oil producers. Climate change is "threatening everything”, Thunberg warned, stating that "everything and everyone we love is at stake." "We should act to protect and benefit people rather than constantly sacrificing the global majority and the very planet we are all living on, for a fortunate few to keep making unimaginable profits and maintaining geopolitical power," she said. Her appearance in Antalya marks the first UN climate summit Thunberg has attended since the 2021 gathering in Glasgow, Scotland, where she famously dismissed international pledges as "blah, blah, blah." The Swedish activist first came to public attention in 2018 when, aged 15, she began a solitary "School Strike for Climate" outside her national parliament. In 2022, she released The Climate Book outlining steps required to address the environmental crisis. Recipients of numerous honours, Thunberg has also campaigned for wider social issues, including the Free Palestine movement. Last year, she was arrested in London while demonstrating alongside hunger-striking pro-Palestinian campaigners, and she recently voiced support for French students seeking greater funding for education. In 2024, she joined protests in Georgia directed against Azerbaijan’s hosting of COP29. A central objective for Turkey at COP31 is advancing global electrification—shifting sectors such as transport, housing, and heavy industry away from fossil fuels towards electricity. Turkey is targeting a 35 per cent global share of electricity in overall energy consumption by 2035, up from 23 per cent today, with a preference for generation from renewable sources like solar and wind. "We have to take the victories we have, of course, because we are so desperate in this situation that we have to take all the positive signs we can get to save as much as we can still save," said Thunberg, who is expected to stay at COP31 for several days. Her arrival generated noticeable energy among younger delegates at the conference. "In this time of heightened geopolitical tensions, I hope that Greta’s presence here reminds us of why we started this work in the first place: to push for meaningful change, hold decision-makers accountable, and work towards a better future for all of humanity," said Amber Turner, a 26-year-old fellow with the Alliance of Small Island States. "Worsening climate change impacts make it challenging for young people to be sure of a safe and thriving future," Turner added. Demonstrations at the venue have called for increased climate financing while expressing opposition to the growing momentum around nuclear power. "The presence of such a headline climate activist at one of the world’s biggest conferences on climate is symbolic, and I hope that it will put pressure on the COP itself to deliver real action and implementation," said Kamori Osthananda, a youth negotiator representing Thailand. Qiyun Woo, an environmental campaigner from Singapore, observed that Thunberg's "powerful" presence "adds to calls from a generation that inherits the consequences of these negotiations." "Besides her, there are many youth activists from around the world who are also on the ground who are actively fighting for their communities, home and collective future," Woo noted. The UN conference in Antalya continues until 20 November. COP32 is scheduled to be held in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, in November 2027. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments