Young climate activists Greta Thunberg and Vanessa Nakate have criticized world leaders for not delivering on funding commitments and making too much of the blank slate in the face of climate change causing devastation across the world.
Leaders from around the world questioned the intent behind climate change conversations in Milan.
Four hundred climate activists from 180 countries have been invited to the Italian financial capital for a three-day Youth4Climate Summit which will send its recommendations to Cop26, the important UN climate summit in Glasgow starting on 31 October.
But the participants are asking for more accountability of leaders and a bigger official role for youth.
Nakate burst into tears after her emotional speech as she was consoled by Thunberg, who joined her on the podium who was too big for her small stature.
Thunberg, who launched the worldwide protest movement Fridays for Future, emphasized that it is not too late to reverse the climate trend.
But Nakate clearly understood enough from the world leaders that she said they were speaking 30 years ago, as half of the total carbon emissions happened since 1990 and third since 2005.
The three-day Youth4Climate Summit will be followed by a two-day meeting before the COP in Glasgow, seeking to find common ground on the sticking points between countries ranging from the leading contributors of CO2 to developing countries lagging behind economically and technologically.
Pleasure to be part of this fantastic adventure the ongoing event #Youth4Climate: #DrivingAmbition in Milan🇮🇹.
Great speech of @vanessa_vash! "We want #ClimateJustice NOW" said @GretaThunberg
"Youth are the solution to #ClimateChange" – Support Youth #ClimateAction pic.twitter.com/zszlA3myPA
— Kevin Ossah (@kevinossah) September 28, 2021
#Youth4Climate: #DrivingAmbition started today in Milan 🇮🇹
Almost 400 young people from around the world will come together over 2 days to develop #ClimateAction proposals to present to ministers at #PreCOP26.
Learn more:
👉 https://t.co/KMciu31iLB#COP26 | @PreCop26ITA pic.twitter.com/fOqvG3sGvn— COP26 (@COP26) September 28, 2021