Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg has arrived at the COP31 conference in Antalya, Turkey, where she criticized the ongoing United Nations climate talks as hypocritical and called upon world leaders to prioritize people and planet over profit. In a powerful speech, Thunberg expressed her disdain for the annual negotiations being tainted by lobbyists from destructive industries, accusing them of maintaining geopolitical power at the expense of the global majority and the Earth's well-being. The talks in Antalya come after a year marked by numerous climate-related disasters, including heatwaves and floods, as well as an energy crisis triggered by the US-Israel conflict with Iran. Turkey, co-hosting COP31 alongside Australia, is promoting renewable energy sources such as rooftop solar installations but remains heavily reliant on fossil fuels for electricity generation. Prior hosts like Brazil, the United Arab Emirates, and Azerbaijan are major oil producers. Thunberg warned that climate change poses a threat to everything we hold dear and that "everything and everyone we love is at stake." She urged decision-makers to act in the interest of people rather than sacrificing the planet for unimaginable profits. Having gained prominence in 2018 as a teenage activist, Thunberg's arrival at COP31 has sparked excitement among youth climate activists who are demanding more climate finance. Amber Turner, a fellow with the Alliance of Small Island States, expressed hope that Thunberg's presence serves as a reminder of their shared commitment to push for meaningful change and hold decision-makers accountable for a better future. The COP31 conference will run in Antalya until November 20, with next year's edition, COP32, scheduled to take place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in November 2027.
In a scathing critique, climate activist Greta Thunberg has accused the ongoing United Nations climate talks at the COP31 conference in Antalya, Turkey, of hypocrisy and self-serving interests. Thunberg argued that these negotiations are marred by lobbyists from destructive industries who profit from the current status quo while countries like Turkey and Australia, co-hosts of the event, continue to rely heavily on fossil fuels for electricity generation despite promoting renewable energy sources such as rooftop solar installations. The talks follow a year marked by numerous deadly climate-related disasters and an energy crisis caused by the US-Israel conflict with Iran. Thunberg urged world leaders to prioritize people and planet over profit, asserting that climate change is endangering everything we hold dear and that "everything and everyone we love is at stake." The COP31 conference will continue in Antalya until November 20, with next year's edition set to take place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in November 2027.
At the COP31 climate summit in Antalya, Turkey, Swedish activist Greta Thunberg has called upon world leaders to prioritize people and planet over profit. Thunberg arrived at the conference criticizing the negotiations as hypocritical due to the influence of lobbyists from destructive industries who benefit from the status quo. She pointed out that countries like Turkey and Australia, co-hosts of the event, continue to rely on fossil fuels for electricity generation despite promoting renewable energy sources such as rooftop solar installations. The talks come after a year marked by numerous climate-related disasters and an energy crisis caused by the US-Israel conflict with Iran. Thunberg emphasized that climate change is endangering everything we hold dear, stating that "everything and everyone we love is at stake." The COP31 conference will run until November 20, with next year's edition scheduled for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in November 2027.