Greta Thunberg on the Role of Young Climate Activists

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR: Do you feel that your generation and you have actually made a difference? And do you feel pleased about what you have done to do your bit for trying to save the climate — you know, the planet?

GRETA THUNBERG, CLIMATE ACTIVIST: Well, I mean, of course, we are doing everything we can. And whether that has an effect is yet to be seen, because, as it is now, we haven’t seen any response whatsoever in — at the level needed. Of course, the climate crisis has been more in the focus, but, I mean, that’s not — we are talking about — we are still wasting our time creating loopholes and talking about net zero targets and green investments, whatever green means. So, we need to move from these kinds of words and pledges to action. And, yes, of course, it has been more discussed now than it was before. And maybe we have been a small part of that. And, in that, so then I guess we are happy with that. But, I mean, of course, we are not going to be satisfied until we see real action.

AMANPOUR: So, some of the action comes after you get places. So famously, you sailed across the Atlantic in order to address the U.N. I think that was last year. You wanted to take the Trans-Siberian Railway to go all the way east. That was — that was obviously postponed because of COVID. Are you planning any more of those big trips? What’s on the agenda for Greta Thunberg over the next year?

THUNBERG: I don’t know. I think that 2020 has provided us with many lessons, among others, that you can’t take anything for granted and you can’t plan that much, because everything might change overnight. But, right now, I’m in school, online classes, which I’m — I’m very much enjoying being back in school and having routines back, but, of course, doing activism at the same time. So, I have actually no idea. I will just have to take it one day at a time, and see what can be done.