Greta Thunberg, the 17-year-old activist, who launched the #FridaysforFuture movement that has sparked global protests, denounced a lack of government action to cut heat-trapping emissions before it is too late. She and around10,000 protesters marched in the Swiss city of Lausanne on Friday before many of them head to Davos next week to challenge political and business leaders to combat the climate crisis.
“So, we are now in a new year and we have entered a new decade and so far, during this decade, we have seen no sign whatsoever that real climate action is coming and that has to change. To the world leaders and those in power, I would like to say that you have not seen anything yet. You have not seen the last of us, we can assure you that. And that is the message that we will bring to the World Economic Forum in Davos next week” Thunberg said in a speech in Lausanne.
Protestors held signs including “Wake up and Smell the Bushfires” and “It is late but it is not too late”.
Hundreds of campaigners will take trains over the weekend and then march to Klosters near Davos, which Thunberg is attending for the second year in a row and will take part in two panel events.
This year’s gathering will reflect on Australia’s worst ever bushfires. And while the government avoided linking it to climate change, it has hugely increased the public concern worldwide regarding the over-heating of the planet. Last year was recorded the second-hottest according to the records of the Nations’ World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
“Time is up; it is time to abolish billionaires. It is time to abolish billionaires, because we cannot afford them, the planet cannot afford billionaires “ a Kenyan activist, Njoki Njoroge Njehu, told the crowd in Lausanne.
