Swedish activist Greta Thunberg told the COP31 climate summit in Antalya, Turkey, that the planet is being actively killed by world leaders who are completely detached from reality.
The 23-year-old activist delivered her stark assessment on Thursday during her first appearance at an annual United Nations climate conference in five years, having last attended COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, in 2021, The Guardian reported.
“It is being killed by the very same people thought to come to our rescue,” Thunberg said, adding that no one is coming to help and that it is humanity’s duty to act as the adult in the room.
The planet is “not dying; it is being killed and we know by who. It is being killed by the very same people thought to come to our rescue,” Thunberg, the Swedish climate activist, said. “No one is coming to our rescue.” https://t.co/w7ehbWDHiM
Her return to the global climate stage coincides with stark warnings from researchers about rising global temperatures. A report by Climate Action Tracker found that current policies put the planet on a path to heat by 2.7C by the end of the century, well above the 1.5C threshold promised by world leaders.
Clashes Over Pace and Priorities in Antalya
Thunberg specifically singled out Australia during a press conference on the sidelines of the summit, comparing the nation’s progress on climate change to that of a snail, as reported by The Sydney Morning Herald.
Is it fair that those who contribute the least to the climate crisis suffer the most? At #COP31, I sat down with @charityekezie_ to answer some of the important questions her social media followers asked. Together, let’s keep telling the truth about the climate crisis & keep… pic.twitter.com/HnTOC5BwNf
When asked by a reporter if she agreed with criticisms regarding Australia’s slow climate record, Thunberg replied, “Even a snail would agree with that. It’s common sense. It doesn’t get more clear than that,” according to News.com.au.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese defended his government’s record when asked about the remarks. “I haven’t seen it, but she’s entitled to her views,” Albanese said, pointing to practical plans aimed at achieving a 43 percent reduction in emissions from 2005 levels by 2030, News.com.au reported.
Andy Burnham, the only G7 leader to attend the talks, also addressed the summit. “The climate crisis is upon us now, devastating lives and livelihoods everywhere,” Burnham said, promising that the UK would get to net zero emissions and backed a proposal for countries to further electrify their economies.
Landslides Kill Lives and Property in Nepal
“We call the catastrophic climate change event we suffered a mountain tsunami,” Chaudhary told The Guardian. “We lost people, we lost lives, we lost property. Nepal is working for rehabilitation, reconstruction and rebuilding the infrastructure. But the communities, the culture, the lives, we cannot revive.”
I never make a key climate intervention without consulting with a group of scientists first, to make sure my remarks are informed by the latest scientific evidence. I thank the climate scientists who shared their insights with me today, ahead of tomorrow's #COP31 Leaders'… pic.twitter.com/GmX3btTZQw
Meanwhile, the United States remains unrepresented by an official government delegation after Donald Trump withdrew the country from the international climate framework. That absence drew sharp criticism from former US Secretary of State John Kerry, who traveled to Turkey alongside congressional members and state governors.
“He’s the biggest loser we’ve seen in a long time on all of these issues,” Kerry said of Trump.
| Summit Figure / Official | Affiliation / Role | Key Stance or Announcement at COP31 |
|---|---|---|
| Greta Thunberg | Climate Activist | Stated the Earth is being killed by leaders who are detached from reality. |
| Anthony Albanese | Prime Minister of Australia | Defended Australia’s target of a 43% emissions reduction by 2030. |
| Andy Burnham | Prime Minister of the United Kingdom | Warned that the climate crisis is devastating lives now; backed economy electrification. |
| Gita Chaudhary | Environment Minister of Nepal | Described an August glacier-melt landslide as a “mountain tsunami” killing 1,500. |
