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‘Revolutionise the world’: UN chief calls for youth to lead on climate
(Climate Change News, 30 Jun 2019) Use social media and political organising to ‘force’ older generation to confront climate crisis, says António Guterres.
UN chief António Guterres has called on young people to initiate a green political revolution in the face of global failure to tackle the climate crisis.
“You need to revolutionise the world and force my generation to understand that it is our obligation to move fast,” said the secretary general, adding that young people had a “fantastic weapon” in social media.
Guterres described older generations as being “very paternalistic” but urged the youth to take the lead in demanding immediate climate action, warning “we are still slowly destroying the world”.
The secretary general was answering questions from global youth representatives in front of diplomats, private and civil society leaders at the opening of a two-day meeting in Abu Dhabi on Sunday in preparation for the UN climate action summit in September.
Guterres said that if young people could sway public opinion in favour of robust action “governments will follow”, because “governments are concerned about winning the next election or staying in power”.
Climate Change News, 30 Jun 2019: ‘Revolutionise the world’: UN chief calls for youth to lead on climate
