Greta Thunberg – Climate Change Expert
You will remember Ms. Thunberg’s “15 minutes of fame” in 2018 – and was the darling of Climate Change.
The recent climate change conference in Glasgow prompted the SPIDER Institute (SI) to send our crack-shot reporter to sit down and chat with the young, Swedish environmental activist, Greta Thunberg, who is known for challenging world leaders to take immediate action for climate change mitigation.
Here’s the transcription of that interview.
SI: You’re now 18 years old, but you started your activism around climate change 3 years ago. How did you become such a widely known proponent on the subject?
Thunberg: It was meant to be. I can’t believe I’ve been nominated for the Noel Peace Prize each of the last three years and I still haven’t won it. What do I have to do? I’m obviously the most deserving.
SI: Is it true at age 8 (2011) you first became aware of climate change, you stopped talking and eating, and were diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD), and selective mutism.
Thunberg: Yes. That’s just further proof that climate change must be taken seriously. A person can get really sick thinking about it. I’ve told everyone that I, and many of my supporters, suffer similar diagnoses and we’ve turned them into superpowers that we’ve unleashed on the world.
SI: In 2018 at age 15 you were so ‘cute’ when you addressed the US Congress and the United Nations Climate Change Conference. Do you think as you get older, you’ll have the same reception and exposure?
Thunberg: Yeah, I mean, Hell Yes! I’m still upset about not being asked to speak at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow earlier this year. But I showed them. I organized a protest outside the conference to show them I’m still one to be reckoned with.
SI: When you traveled to the US and back to Europe in 2018, you took a yacht both ways across the ocean rather than fly. Why did you do that?
Thunberg: Because I didn’t want to be part of leaving a big, personal, carbon imprint. I know taking the different yachts to and fro took 15 and 18 days, respectively, and burned hundreds of gallons of fuel during the crossing – but they were ‘sailboats’ and it’s the idea of carbon neutral rather than the reality. Give me a break, I saw dolphins and the stars more clearly than ever on those trips. We know the airline industry is a major problem for the climate, and I was instrumental in initiating the Flyskam movement – aka, flight shame. Nobody should fly, it’s not natural. When I was 15, I convinced my parents to reduce their carbon imprint by becoming vegans and to never fly ever again.
SI: You’ve obviously and deliberately missed a lot of school with your protests and travels. Does that bother you or your parents?
Thunberg: No. What I’m doing is much more important than learning stuff that isn’t focused on climate change. If the world is going to end, and we are facing mass extinction, what’s the sense of learning anything else, anyway? Oh, and I learned to speak fluent English which has helped in spreading my message “to follow the science and act – now!” How dumb and ignorant are world leaders who are book learned but don’t listen to me?
SI: So, you have studied the science of climate change?
Thunberg: Of course I have, since I’ve been 8 years old. There’s no doubt in my mind that what I’ve read is fact – carbon emissions are earth killers. And I personally witnessed a warming Atlantic Ocean when crossing it twice. I regularly dipped my hand in the water that used to be glaciers and it wasn’t even near freezing. I don’t need any more information or listen to counter arguments or data. It’s a done deal. Look, there are so many others involved is this quest that can agree without any study or reflection. There’s a conspiracy to downplay climate change generally, and specifically to try to discredit me and treat me as a novelty. Some people say I have no expertise on climate change. Well, let me just say that while I may not have all the knowledge and experience on climate change, I make up for it in passion and effort. You don’t get that from of analyzing data and running computer models.
SI: Ms. Thunberg, there are those that say you cannot be old or wise enough to voice your views an such an important topic as climate change, while at the same time being too young to be criticized. How do you react to that?
Thunberg: As they say in Sweden, ‘the proof is in the rice pudding.’ Look at the speaking engagements and forums I’ve had to voice my views. The second part about being too young for criticism? – isn’t it wonderful!
SI: Why do you seem so focused on the US and Europe to totally eliminate fossil fuels when such countries as India and China are not targeted to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions into their already dense smog?
Thunberg: That’s a really dumb question. I can’t get anyone, especially young people, in those countries to take up the banner. Add Russia, and those countries didn’t even attend the Glasgow conference. So why would I waste my time not getting noticed, recognized and commanding airtime in those places. I expect the US and Europe is just going to have to save the world by eliminating their use of fossil fuels. They have more people with money who are receptive to my message so that’s where I focus my attention. It’s simple. I may be young but I’m not stupid.
There you have it folks. To iterate a descriptive phrase by the SI interviewer after the interview: “Out of the mouths of babes.”
You might want to read her book: No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference.
She has a much brighter future than Al Gore ever had as a global warming guru. I say that because he still flies around on his private jet, emulating our current Climate Change Czar, John Kerry.
She, on the other hand, takes yachts, proving she’s the real thing.
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Have a great and prosperous week.
Hug somebody.
References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greta_Thunberg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voyage_of_Greta_Thunberg
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