Greta Thunberg comes to Bristol
February 28, 2020, crowds of young people, children and adults alike cheered environmental activist Greta Thunberg onto the stage at College Green as part of the Bristol Youth Strike for Climate (BYS4C).
Greta Thunberg warned "those in power" she will "not be silenced when the world is on fire". The teenager was welcomed by chants of "Greta, Greta" as she addressed some 15,000 people at the event.
She accused politicians and the media of ignoring the climate emergency and "sweeping their mess under the rug". "We are the change, and change is coming whether you like it or not," the Swedish environmentalist said.
Greta was speaking at the climate strike event on College Green, before leading a march through the city.
"Activism works so I'm telling you to act," she said. "We are being betrayed by those in power."
Thunberg flagged up the recent decision by north Somerset council to oppose Bristol airport expansion as an example of what could be achieved if activists worked together.
You can read the full speech here.
Why is the climate crisis a human rights issue?
While we largely understand climate change through the impacts it will have on our natural world, it is the devastation that it is causing and will continue to cause for humanity that makes it an urgent human rights issue.
It will compound and magnify existing inequalities. And its effects will continue to grow and worsen over time, creating ruin for current and future generations. This is why the failure of governments to act on climate change in the face of overwhelming scientific evidence may well be the biggest inter-generational human rights violation in history.
Now take action below to protect those who protect our environment. It is the only option we have for our families and friends to live in a better world.
You can also read about climate action projects to get involved in across Bristol.
Human rights are intimately linked to the climate crisis.
Global warming harmfully impacts our rights, including the rights to life, health, food, water, housing and livelihoods.
People created this crisis, and we have the power to fix it – but we need to start acting now.
Find out the latest actions relating to climate change on the Amnesty website here
Bristol’s activism scene is often seen as the pièce de résistance of the UK climate movement. After all, our city is the birthplace of Extinction Rebellion.
To inspire you into action – to fuel our collective hope – read about 26 projects to engage with, people to learn from and problems to tackle together.