(Photo: photocosmos1/Shutterstock.com)
Greta Thunberg has now been striking for 100 weeks!
The 17-year-old climate activist who has continued striking from home during the coronavirus restrictions, was just 15 when she first sat outside the Swedish parliament by herself, calling for action to address the climate emergency.
Within weeks, she had generated a global movement of students (and adults like Jane Fonda), fighting for the same cause.
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School strike week 96. #climatestrikeonline #StayAtHome #fridaysforfuture #schoolstrike4climate
In a post on social media, Greta writes: “100 weeks ago I never would have believed that I’d still be doing this today. Since then, a lot has happened. Many millions have taken to the streets to continue the decades-long and never ending fight for climate and environmental justice.”
While Greta acknowledges the support of her fellow protestors, she also points out that little has been achieved in terms of action from governments and major players in the environmental emergency:
“Since then, the world has also emitted 80Gt of CO2. We have lost yet another 2 crucial years to inaction and the climate – and ecological crisis has still never once been treated as a crisis. The changes and level of awareness needed are still nowhere in sight.”
Yesterday, Greta shared an open letter to global leaders signed by thousands of activists and scientists demanding immediate action to tackle the climate emergency.
The letter details the type of action required including halting investments in fossil fuel exploration and extraction and urging EU member states to make ecocide an international crime at the International Criminal Court.
In less than 24 hours, 55 thousand people have signed the letter including Hollywood star and environmentalist Leonardo Dicaprio and girls education advocate Malala Yousafzai.