Greta Thunberg slammed over her COP26 criticism, politicians affirm 'progress being made'

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg has drawn backlash against her especially in Scandinavia where the politicians, as well as opinion makers, have accused the 18-year-old of driving other environmentalists in an extremist and anti-democratic sentiment. After Thunberg criticised the world leaders who met in Glasgow for the urgent climate change summit, COP26 as a fiasco “full of empty talk”, Norwegian Climate Minister Espen Barth Eide raised his concerns over her remarks. 

Birth Eide told NRK that “When you say that politics has no meaning, then we are on a slightly dangerous course. I believe that the strong and sensible commitment to make something happen must be transformed into political action – not into rejecting the whole idea of democratic political change.” 

His remarks came after the teen climate activist said that COP26 is “no longer a climate conference” and called it “a Global North greenwash festival.” Additionally, in her speech that came just before the climate conference kickstarted in Scotland, she used the soundbites from UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s addresses such as “expensive bunny hugging” and “green economy” to highlight what she termed as “empty words and promises” of politicians across the world.

However, newspaper Aftenposten's political editor Kjetil Alstadheim also opined on Thunberg’s rhetoric and how it can impact other climate activists towards polarization and division. In an opinion piece, he said, “She risks leading them into something authoritarian, anti-democratic and outright dangerous. Her rhetoric is just a single step short of demanding anything beyond civil disobedience. And what she says is not true. Progress is being made, even if it may not be enough.”

Alstadheim concluded, “We need a Greta Thunberg and activists who push from the outside. There is no need for Greta Thunberg who only spreads contempt and hopelessness.”

Additionally, Lisa Nåbo, the leader of SSU, the youth wing of Sweden's ruling party, the Social Democrats, as per Sputnik, also slammed the 18-year-old for making the demands of climate action without ever coming up with any solutions. While talking to SVT, Nåbo said, “Greta, you have said that the most important thing young people can do is become activists. I don't agree with you. No solution to the climate crisis will be politically neutral. The most important thing you as a young person can do is to get involved in politics and make sure that the right decisions are made.”

‘Blah blah blah’

Mocking the world leaders, Greta Tunberg told the attendees of the Youth4Climate conference in Milan, “There is no Planet B, there is no planet blah, blah, blah. This is not about some expensive politically correct dream of bunny hugging, or build back better, blah blah blah, green economy, blah blah blah, net-zero by 2050, blah blah blah, climate-neutral blah blah blah.”

“This is all we hear from our so-called leaders: words, words that sound great but so far have led to no action, our hopes and dreams drowned in their empty words and promises,” the activist added. 

 (IMAGE: AP)