Greta Thunberg Is Leading The Climate Revolt – And World Leaders Are Not Paying Attention!

The Climate Revolt? Looks deceive. And that's the problem, isn't it? We know nothing.

Meanwhile, Greta Thunberg has all the attention of the world now, and Louise Fitzgerald of The Irish Times is complaining, saying, "Twenty-Five Years Before Greta, There Was Severn And We Ignored Her" (19 September 2019, irishtimes.com). I have copies of both the speeches. Severn delivered hers at the Earth Summit in Rio De Janeiro in June 1992 ("Severn Suzuki Speech at U.N. Conference on Environment and Development," no date, americanrhetoric.com), while Greta delivered hers at the UN Climate Action Summit in New York on 23 September 2019 ("'How Dare You': Transcript Of Greta Thunberg's UN Climate Speech," 25 September 2019, Nikkei Asian Review, asia.nikkei.com, where the image comes from).

Severn Suzuki called for a Climate Review;
Greta Thunberg calls for a Climate Revolt!

Young girls both, out of the UN climate speeches of Greta and Severn, 498 words and 927 words, the differences are stark – and I am not referring to the length, except that the shorter points the finger while the longer points to the problem already known!

Right at the start, Severn is timid:

Hello, I'm Severn Suzuki speaking for "ECO" -- the Environmental Children's Organization. We are a group of 12 and 13 year-olds trying to make a difference: Vanessa Suttie, Morgan Geisler, Michelle Quigg, and me. We've raised all the money to come here ourselves -- to come 5,000 miles to tell you adults you must change your ways.

While Greta is audacious!

My message is that we'll be watching you. This is all wrong. I shouldn't be up here. I should be back in school on the other side of the ocean. Yet you all come to us young people for hope. How dare you!

In 57 words, Severn comes out with a plea; in contrast, in only 43 words, Greta comes out with power! With her speech, Greta Thunberg has forever changed the dialogue between the servant-leaders and the people they are supposed to serve.

Severn ends her speech with a supplication (39 words):

My dad always says, "You are what you do, not what you say." Well, what you do makes me cry at night. You grown-ups say you love us. But I challenge you, please, make your actions reflect your words.

"Please."

No please! Greta Thunberg ends her speech not so much with a prophecy but with a caveat (34 words):

We will not let you get away with this. Right here, right now is where we draw the line. The world is waking up. And change is coming, whether you like it or not.

There is no "Please!"

Severn is reminding them what to do what they already know – Greta knows better! She is reminding them to do their duties, or face the wrath of the youth.

That would be the day the youth turns the world on its axis. At 79, I know I will live to that day – the youth led by Greta Thunberg will see to that!@517