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Teen activist Greta Thunberg told AFP she hoped worldwide youth strikes would mark a turning point in the fight against climate change (AFP Photo/Johannes EISELE) |
New York (AFP) - Teenage environmental activist Greta Thunberg told AFP that she hoped Friday's massive worldwide climate strikes would mark a turning point in persuading leaders to take decisive action on global warming.
The
16-year-old described the numbers of people who took to the streets as
"unbelievable" -- from Asia-Pacific to Europe and Africa, culminating
in New York where a million students have been permitted to skip school.
"You
see the pictures of all these people. You can't believe what you are
seeing," she said during an interview, as thousands of protesters started
marching in the US financial capital.
"This
is not just because of me," said the Swede, who has spurred teenagers and
students around the world, mainly Europe, to strike from school every Friday
under the rallying cry "Fridays for future."
"This
is because thousands of local organizers who have spent I don't know how many
hours. They worked very hard. I'm eternally grateful for what they are doing.
"I
hope this will be another social tipping point that we show how many people are
engaged, how many people are putting pressure on leaders, especially before
this UN climate action summit," she added, referring to Monday's carbon
emissions meeting.
Thousands
gathered in Manhattan's Foley Square at midday (1600 GMT) to rally the one mile
(1.6 kilometers) distance to Battery Park on the tip of the island.
New York
authorities gave their blessing to the one million children in over 1,700
schools in the metropolis to miss school for the event.
Children
carried placards that read "There Is No Planet B" and "Make The
Earth Great Again," a twist on President Donald Trump's rallying cry of
"Make America Great Again."
Thunberg is
due to attend a summit on zero emissions at the UN headquarters in New York on
Monday and said she hoped the size of the protests would spur world leaders
into action.
'Take
responsibility'
"It's
a great opportunity when they are gathered here," she told AFP at New
York's city hall, before joining the march, adding that some leaders "seem
more determined than others."
"They
need to take their responsibility and do this and that's what we are going to
try and push for.
"Now
we have proven what we can do, now they have to prove what they can (do),"
she added.
Thunberg
has become a symbol for climate action since she began sitting outside the
Swedish parliament in August 2018 calling for politicians to cut carbon
emissions and curb global warming.
She sailed
into New York on a zero-carbon yacht last month after refusing to fly because
of the carbon emissions caused by planes. It took her 15 days to cross the
Atlantic.
Thunberg
addressed Congress this week and met with former president Barack Obama.
She said
meeting Trump, a climate change skeptic who is not taking part in Monday's
summit, is not a priority for her.
"I
don't see why he would want to meet a teenager, a climate activist... when he
does not listen to science," she said.
Thunberg
also batted back criticism she has received for her uncompromising attitude,
describing it as evidence that "as a positive sign that we are actually
having an impact."
She said
she does not yet know how or when she will return to Europe.
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