Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg has made a passionate speech to world leaders at the UN, accusing them of failing to act on climate change.
“You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words,” she told a UN climate summit in New York.
About 60 world leaders are taking part in the one-day meeting organised by UN Secretary General António Guterres.
He earlier said countries could only speak at the summit if they came with action plans to cut carbon emissions.
US President Donald Trump, a climate change sceptic, had not been expected at the meeting – but he was briefly spotted in the audience.
What did Greta Thunberg say?
In an emotional speech, she said: “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?
“You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words,” the 16-year-old said.
And she urged world leaders to act urgently, saying: “We will be watching you.”
To watch video, click: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-49795270 Source: BBC News
