The United Nations Climate Action Summit is slated to begin September 23, 2019. One attendee, Greta Thunberg, arrived in New York harbor Wednesday via a zero-emissions yacht.
Thunberg spoke before the 2018 UN climate summit and returned to speak again. As the summit takes place in New York at United Nations headquarters, people wondered if Thunberg would try to speak to President Donald Trump.
Upon arriving in New York, however, Thunberg stated:
"My message to him is just to listen to the science, and he obviously doesn’t do that."
Greta Thunberg: "It's strange -- everyone always asks me about Donald Trump. My message for him is just listen to t… https://t.co/PK0snGS4xp— The Hill (@The Hill) 1567092660.0
After spending two weeks at sea travelling to the United States, this is what Greta Thunberg had to say about clima… https://t.co/TOTrkOzKlo— The Independent (@The Independent) 1567072620.0
@GretaThunberg Q & A over now. Greta Thunberg thanked everyone around the world, who are helping fight climate chan… https://t.co/4VQ6pWLT1O— Kathryn Mathias (@Kathryn Mathias) 1567024863.0
Indeed, the Trump administration's contempt for climate science and environmental protection is well documented.
From appointing an Environmental Protection Agency head—later forced to resign—who once vowed to destroy the EPA to rollbacks on the Endangered Species Act and reductions in national monuments to open areas for mining and oilfields to unwavering support of fracking, pipelines, fossil fuels and especially coal, the Trump mindset is apparent.
The Trump administration also gutted science departments at multiple agencies, suppressed findings counter to their agenda and eliminated environmental and climate related programs and projects.
Prior to her departure, Thunberg spoke of the futility of addressing Trump on climate change.
"Why should I waste time talking to him when he, of course, is not going to listen to me? I can’t say anything that he hasn’t already heard."
Thunberg is a Swedish 16 year-old environmental activist. At age 15 she started a "school strike for the climate" by demonstrating outside the Swedish parliament holding up a sign calling for bold action on climate change.
Her strike went global under the name Fridays for Future.
Fridays for future. The school strike continues! #climatestrike #klimatstrejk #FridaysForFuture https://t.co/5jej011Qtp— Greta Thunberg (@Greta Thunberg) 1537116920.0
Thunberg documented her arrival in New York on her Twitter feed.
Sailing into New York. https://t.co/SlC1IA8R0h— Greta Thunberg (@Greta Thunberg) 1567015384.0
Manhattan! https://t.co/8SxPYk2WRk— Greta Thunberg (@Greta Thunberg) 1567016804.0
The @UN has sent out one boat for each of the 17 sustainable development goal to greet us! Thank you! https://t.co/AU5ZSVj5vD— Greta Thunberg (@Greta Thunberg) 1567019731.0
Now we sail up the Hudson River to North Cove Marina. Thank you to all that greeted us on the water!! https://t.co/uDl9WMdOL1— Greta Thunberg (@Greta Thunberg) 1567020549.0
Finally here. Thank you everyone who came to see me off in Plymouth, and everyone who welcomed me in New York! Now… https://t.co/ZWObWdfghn— Greta Thunberg (@Greta Thunberg) 1567034582.0
The UN Secretary General, António Guterres, also welcomed Thunberg to New York.
Welcome to New York, @gretathunberg! The determination and perseverance shown during your journey should embolden… https://t.co/V7mBRIcA5U— António Guterres (@António Guterres) 1567025260.0
Meanwhile conservatives and Trump supporters found reasons to criticize Thunberg while ignoring her actual message.
Here's another 'serious, cerebral conservative' getting plenty of attention for his 'Never Trumper' performance. It… https://t.co/7duC8WQG33— John Gunn (@John Gunn) 1567045419.0
@EWErickson “Obnoxious and spectacularly unaccomplished” “there is a messianic zeal” “the media will cover her ever… https://t.co/oyjj8gFRrr— geoff lusk (@geoff lusk) 1567089804.0
@GretaThunberg CBC News just returned momentarily, to show that Greta Thunberg is getting closer to docking. They n… https://t.co/gicDGr2Vye— Kathryn Mathias (@Kathryn Mathias) 1567022104.0
Including full on attacks by adult male Breitbart correspondents like 54 year-old James Delingpole, the highlights of which were shared by someone who is not a Delingpole fan.
"My first question would be: what is a 16-year old autistic school drop-out who has done nothing of note in her lif… https://t.co/QAvr2tPzSd— Dr. Farbod 🌹Ⓥ🌱 (@Dr. Farbod 🌹Ⓥ🌱) 1566979614.0
"Sure, girls have a place in this universe: as decoration and objects of lust." What a pathetic little life you must have, Delingpole.— Dr. Farbod 🌹Ⓥ🌱 (@Dr. Farbod 🌹Ⓥ🌱) 1566979800.0
"No kind of man that I know of, that’s for sure. Unless you count tofu-eating, milquetoast, pantywaist, beta, snowf… https://t.co/OlKkGYGFne— Dr. Farbod 🌹Ⓥ🌱 (@Dr. Farbod 🌹Ⓥ🌱) 1566979981.0
You can learn more about Thunberg's by watching her full 2018 UN address here.
Thunberg's book No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference is available here.
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