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Greta Thunberg: What climate summit achieved after outburst | Greta Thunberg: What climate summit achieved after outburst |
(about 3 hours later) | |
The UN’s climate summit has closed amidst cautious praise for its achievements, and bitter condemnation for its failures. | The UN’s climate summit has closed amidst cautious praise for its achievements, and bitter condemnation for its failures. |
On the plus side, more than 60 nations announced they were working on or exploring plans to reduce greenhouse gas to virtually zero. | On the plus side, more than 60 nations announced they were working on or exploring plans to reduce greenhouse gas to virtually zero. |
And a similar number said they would definitely boost their climate change ambitions by next year. | And a similar number said they would definitely boost their climate change ambitions by next year. |
On the minus side, the campaigner Greta Thunberg blasted leaders for what she called inadequate ambition that risked the future of the young. | On the minus side, the campaigner Greta Thunberg blasted leaders for what she called inadequate ambition that risked the future of the young. |
Germany’s pledge, for instance, was described by critics as totally unfit to meet carbon-cutting targets it’s already promised. | Germany’s pledge, for instance, was described by critics as totally unfit to meet carbon-cutting targets it’s already promised. |
And scientists will warn on Tuesday of alarming changes in the natural world, including melting ice and sea level rise beyond previous projections. | And scientists will warn on Tuesday of alarming changes in the natural world, including melting ice and sea level rise beyond previous projections. |
So it’s possible to describe the UN summit as a cup half full, or a cup three-quarters empty. | So it’s possible to describe the UN summit as a cup half full, or a cup three-quarters empty. |
That said, there were very clear signs that around the world people are waking up to the threat of an over-heating climate. | That said, there were very clear signs that around the world people are waking up to the threat of an over-heating climate. |
India, China and the EU say they will deliver tougher carbon-curbing plans in 2020. | India, China and the EU say they will deliver tougher carbon-curbing plans in 2020. |
Major ports, banks and shipping lines are committing to "a moon shot" of net zero carbon shipping by 2030. | Major ports, banks and shipping lines are committing to "a moon shot" of net zero carbon shipping by 2030. |
Finland aims to become the first industrialised nation to absorb more carbon than it emits. | Finland aims to become the first industrialised nation to absorb more carbon than it emits. |
Pakistan, which has planted a billion trees in the last five years, pledged to add 10 billion in the next five. | Pakistan, which has planted a billion trees in the last five years, pledged to add 10 billion in the next five. |
And Greece said it would ban single-use plastics by 2021 and phase out its use of the dirtiest coal by 2028. | And Greece said it would ban single-use plastics by 2021 and phase out its use of the dirtiest coal by 2028. |
Critics applauded the efforts but said commitments from major nations were nowhere near what was needed to stabilise the climate. | Critics applauded the efforts but said commitments from major nations were nowhere near what was needed to stabilise the climate. |
The USA, for instance, was represented by Donald Trump. | The USA, for instance, was represented by Donald Trump. |
He wandered in mid-session, briefly took a seat in the audience, checked his watch and sauntered out to attend a rival meeting on religious freedom nearby – all under the furious gaze of Ms Thunberg. | He wandered in mid-session, briefly took a seat in the audience, checked his watch and sauntered out to attend a rival meeting on religious freedom nearby – all under the furious gaze of Ms Thunberg. |
She and her colleagues announced they would take law suits against five nations on the grounds that, by jeopardising the climate, they were breaching the rights of children. | She and her colleagues announced they would take law suits against five nations on the grounds that, by jeopardising the climate, they were breaching the rights of children. |
How did world leaders react to Greta? | |
US President Donald Trump appeared to mock the 16-year-old in a tweet alongside a video of her address. | |
French President Emmanuel Macron had measured criticism for Ms Thunberg's "very radical" approach, suggesting that anger at his government was misplaced. | |
France, along with Germany, were among the five countries included in the complaint filed to the UN on Monday by Ms Thunberg. | |
"Everything that our young people are doing to fight this is useful - and the not so young too," he told Europe 1. | |
"But now they have to focus on those who have most to do, those trying to get in the way of change. I don't feel the French or German government are the ones getting in the way today." | |
German Chancellor Angela Merkel posted a photo of her speaking with the young activist. | |
However, Ms Merkel received criticism from some complaining that Germany is not phasing out coal fast enough. | |
Harjeet Singh, from the charity ActionAid, said: "This summit was supposed to be a turning point. But we have seen an exceptional lack of commitment from the biggest and richest polluting countries that continue to take trivial measures toward solving a life-or-death crisis." | Harjeet Singh, from the charity ActionAid, said: "This summit was supposed to be a turning point. But we have seen an exceptional lack of commitment from the biggest and richest polluting countries that continue to take trivial measures toward solving a life-or-death crisis." |
Kate Hampton, from the Children's Investment Fund Foundation, asked: "If we can’t massively accelerate the many solutions available to us now... then what are we doing, really?" | Kate Hampton, from the Children's Investment Fund Foundation, asked: "If we can’t massively accelerate the many solutions available to us now... then what are we doing, really?" |
Jennifer Morgan, the head of Greenpeace International, said that "for the most part, world leaders did not deliver what was needed in New York today." | Jennifer Morgan, the head of Greenpeace International, said that "for the most part, world leaders did not deliver what was needed in New York today." |
Attention will now shift to Monaco where the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change will warn that global heating is causing an ocean emergency. | Attention will now shift to Monaco where the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change will warn that global heating is causing an ocean emergency. |
Follow Roger on Twitter @rharrabin | Follow Roger on Twitter @rharrabin |