Greta Thunberg speaks at COP31 in Antalya, Turkey, on Nov. 12, warning that the planet is being “murdered” and calling for stronger action to defend human rights. (Foto: Instagram)
Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg said Thursday, Nov. 12, at the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference, known as COP31, that the planet is not dying but is being “murdered.” Speaking at the conference in Antalya, Turkey, she criticized governments and institutions that, in her view, should be leading efforts to address the environmental crisis.
“The planet is not dying, but it is being murdered. And we know who is doing it. It is being murdered by the very people who are often seen as those who will come to save us,” Thunberg said. She argued that the environmental situation is far from under control and that those responsible for damaging the planet are often the same people from whom the public expects solutions.
Thunberg warned that the world is moving toward a future of more genocide and ecocide, weakened basic rights, and a situation in which essential needs become luxuries. She also called for greater public engagement in response to threats to human rights, saying people with greater privilege have a heightened responsibility to speak out and press for change.
She described defending human rights as a collective obligation, particularly when states and other institutions threaten those rights. “When our human rights are threatened by states and other institutions, it becomes our duty—the duty of everyone. But the more privileged we are, the greater our responsibility to stand up, be the adult in the room, and fight for our rights and the human rights of everyone,” she said.
Thunberg came to international prominence in 2018, at age 15, when she began holding school strikes on Fridays outside Sweden’s Parliament to demand action on climate change. The campaign helped launch the Fridays for Future movement, which inspired youth demonstrations in several countries. She has since attended international conferences and meetings with political leaders to urge stronger action against global warming. In 2019, Time magazine named her its Person of the Year. In recent years, she has also expanded her advocacy to include social justice and human rights.
COP31 brings together government representatives, scientists, organizations, and activists to negotiate measures to combat global warming. This year’s conference is being held in Antalya from Nov. 9 to Nov. 20. Turkey is presiding over the conference, while Australia is leading the negotiations. The meeting continues discussions from COP30, held in Belém, Brazil.
