On this day, exactly 6 years ago, my photographer and I passed by the Swedish Parliament following a tip about a school strike. What happened next was impossible to predict, despite all the conspiracy theories that have since emerged. Just a few minutes after I posted on social media, urging my network not to let this 15-year-old girl sit alone, bearing the weight of the climate crisis on her shoulders, the world began to take notice.
Many have different opinions about Greta’s activism today, but one thing is certain: without her activism and tireless efforts in the years that followed, the world would look very different.
Fast forward to today: It is easy to feel hopeless about the climate crisis and think that nothing positive has happened since the first school strike, but the reality is that due to policy decisions and positive developments, the forecast for global warming has improved from +4°C to +2.7°C. While this might not sound like much, the difference between these scenarios is the difference between our entire civilization being at risk of extinction or "only" billions of people suffering severe impacts. In the next 6 years, we need to bring that forecast down to 1.5°C. It’s entirely possible. We have the solutions. Let’s focus on them together and ensure we direct the money where they are needed! #MoveTheMoney
We all owe her a thank you for opening the world’s eyes, and I will always be proud of the role that I and We Don’t Have Time played in sparking that flame.
Read the story of how it all started 👇, which I wrote a couple of years ago.
https://app.wedonthavetime.org/posts/fdc85441-c5f0-4b4e-b115-a6be2bc00972
