Greta Thunberg says Nicola Sturgeon’s government is NOT a world leader in climate change and trashes Boris’s Cop26 climate change because it ‘won’t lead to results’
- Nicola Sturgeon says her target to reach net zero by 2045 is ‘world-leading’
- Greta denied the claim and said: ‘No. We can safely say there are no countries – at least in the global north – that are even doing close to what would be needed.’
- Miss Thunberg unlikely to attend PM’s climate change conference in Glasgow
- She said: ‘To be honest, I don’t think that… will lead to much results’
Greta Thunberg today savaged Nicola Sturgeon’s efforts to tackle climate change, rubbishing the First Minister’s claims that Scotland is a ‘world leader’ on the issue.
Miss Thunberg also trashed Boris Johnson’s Autumn international climate change summit in Glasgow and admitted she is unlikely to go unless everyone is double-jabbed.
The Swedish activist, 18, also attacked countries such as Britain for ‘not doing close to what would be needed’ to go more green.
The teenager said she has not yet decided whether she will travel to the global UN climate conference in Glasgow next month, but will do if it is ‘considered safe and democratic’ – including ensuring participants from poorer countries are fully vaccinated and able to travel.
Speaking to the BBC she said she does not believe Scotland is a world leader on climate change, as the Scottish Government claims. Ms Sturgeon has also agreed a power-sharing deal with the Green party.
Questioned on whether Scotland is a world leader on climate change, Greta said: ‘No… I mean, there are some countries that do a bit more than certain others, but then if we look at it from a broader perspective then I think we can safely say there are no countries – at least in the global north – that are even doing close to what would be needed.’
Greta Thunberg today savaged Nicola Sturgeon’s efforts to tackle climate change, rubbishing the First Minister’s claims that Scotland is a ‘world leader’ on the issue.
Disposable nappies could be taxed to encourage parents to switch to green alternatives.
The move is being examined as a way to stop the products, which cannot be recycled, going to landfill.
They are the next target on a ministerial hit list following the announcement last week of action on throwaway plates, cups and cutlery.
A Whitehall source involved in the nappy policy said: ‘The next single-use plastic item we are looking at is nappies.
‘But you couldn’t ban them – that would be too tough for parents. It would need to take some form of a tax.’
Three billion nappies are thrown away every year, accounting for 2 to 3 per cent of UK household waste, according to recycling charity Wrap. A baby gets through around 5,000 during infancy – equivalent to 130 large bin bags.
And as well as being a major source of plastic waste, they are the worst cause of contamination in recycling.
Scotland’s climate change legislation includes a target to reach net zero by 2045, which the Scottish Government has said is ‘world-leading’.
The 18-year-old was also sceptical of the Scottish Government’s new powersharing deal with the Scottish Greens which will bring Green representatives into government for the first time in the UK.
Ms Thunberg told the broadcaster: ‘Of course there might be some politicians that are slightly less worse than others. That was very mean, but you get the point.
‘It’s a hopeful sign that people want something that’s more ‘green’ – whatever ‘green’ means – but in order to solve this, we need to tackle this at a more systemic approach.’
Boris Johnson has called for urgent action to fight climate change by abandoning fossil fuels and embracing renewable technology worldwide.
The UK is hosting the crucial Cop26 summit in Glasgow this autumn, which will bring nations together to stop climate change.
Having returned to school after a year out leading young people in school strikes for climate change, Ms Thunberg said the conference falls in her school holidays, and if she does attend she plans to travel by train.
On whether the conference should be in person or virtual, she said: ‘We get much more results when we meet in person, it’s hard to argue against that, but of course if it’s not considered safe then we have to go for the safest option.
‘To be honest, I don’t think that either one will lead to much results. A physical meeting will probably bring more results, but still nowhere close to what’s needed.’
Asked if she was optimistic for the future, she said: ‘I don’t know whether ‘optimistic’ is the right word, but it gives me at least hope to see we have a huge potential of achieving change.
‘We know that change will not come from the Cop, from within these negotiations. The change will come when there are enough people outside on the streets demanding change.’
Boris Johnson says Nicola Sturgeon will play a ‘huge role’ at the UN climate summit in Glasgow this autumn, despite previously saying he didn’t ‘want to see Nicola Sturgeon anywhere near it’
Questioned on the controversy over plans for the new Cambo oil field west of Shetland, she said: ‘I think that maybe summarises the whole situation we are in – the fact that these kind of countries who are actually hosting the Cop is planning to actually expand fossil fuel infrastructure, to open up new oil fields, and so on.
‘But also it’s a bit strange that we are talking about single individual oil fields.
‘It’s not just that we need to stop future expansions. We also need to scale down existing ones if we are to have a chance of avoiding the worst consequences.’
Source: Read Full Article
