Greta Thunberg, a prominent climate activist, urges for more tangible outcomes and less political rhetoric in addressing climate change.

Greta Thunberg remains open to the possibility of meeting U.S. President Joe Biden at the United Nations climate summit in Glasgow. However, the Swedish activist does not expect significant outcomes from either the U.S. president or the critical summit scheduled from October 31 to November 12.

In a conversation with Covering Climate Now last Wednesday, Thunberg was taken aback by the idea of Biden, or any world leader, wanting to meet her at COP26, but stated she would be receptive to such a meeting if requested. "I suppose it depends on the circumstances," she remarked. "I don't quite understand why they would want to meet with me, but sure."

Just a week before contemplating a meeting with Biden, Thunberg had criticized the U.S. president and other global leaders for offering only empty rhetoric on climate action, calling it "blah blah blah" in a speech at the Youth4Climate summit. The September 28 clip became a viral sensation.

During the CCNow interview, carried out by NBC News, Reuters, and The Nation, Thunberg expressed frustration that youth climate activists "are not being taken seriously" by global leaders. She said, "They just claim, 'We listen to you,' then they applaud us and continue as before."

The notion that Biden has not only been vocal about the climate emergency but also is pushing for the most ambitious climate legislation in U.S. history fails to impress Thunberg. She criticized the climate provisions in the Democrats' spending plan currently being heavily influenced by lobbyists, saying, "They've been so watered down, we shouldn't pretend this is a solution to the climate crisis."

Biden's political predicament—sharing power in a democracy with a legislature where he faces unanimous Republican opposition determined to block his agenda—is irrelevant to Thunberg. She focuses solely on outcomes: "Emissions are still going up."

Stop the Empty Promises and Greenwashing

Thunberg once reflected that the idea of meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping, another climate giant, seemed far less likely than sitting down with U.S. President Biden. Though she called Xi 'a leader of a dictatorship,' she did not completely dismiss the possibility, asserting that 'democracy holds the key to solving the climate crisis' because only through significant public pressure can we shift the situation.

Speaking from her kitchen in Stockholm while wearing a gray hoodie, Thunberg shared her plan to attend the COP26 summit, despite its potential for empty promises and greenwashing. She believes the event, with its massive gathering of government representatives, activists, scientists, and journalists, is an essential chance to demonstrate the urgency of the climate crisis and rally people to action.

"In times of such profound crisis as this, it's crucial for everyone to recognize their moral responsibility," Thunberg remarked. "We must use whatever influence or platform we have to steer things in the right direction and bring about change. It's our duty as humans."

For COP26 to succeed, Thunberg argued, we need to face the uncomfortable truth about the significant gap between the climate rhetoric and actual action. 'We are not doing that now,' she said, highlighting that instead of tackling the core issue, we are offering small, symbolic solutions that give the illusion of progress. She pointed out that emissions are still not fully accounted for in target announcements, and creative accounting continues around emissions cuts. Until these issues are addressed, meaningful progress will be elusive.

Thunberg voiced her strong support for the lawsuits demanding accountability from fossil fuel companies for their decades of deception about climate change and the widespread harm it has caused, particularly to vulnerable communities. 'These companies must be held accountable for the destruction they've caused,' she asserted, emphasizing that this is the very least that can be asked, especially for those whose communities, health, and livelihoods have been devastated.

Thunberg also criticized the global media for its failure to properly convey the urgency of the climate crisis. While she acknowledged the efforts of many journalists and outlets, she noted that 'many news organizations are still falling short.' Despite this, she found hope in the media's potential to drive change, calling it 'one of my biggest sources of hope right now.'

Drawing a comparison to the coronavirus pandemic, Thunberg suggested that if the media were to treat the climate crisis with the same sense of urgency, it could quickly shift social norms. 'With their vast resources and reach, the media could rapidly inform countless people, which could lead to significant positive outcomes,' she remarked, highlighting the transformative power of media when fully engaged.

Staying on Message

Since her powerful speech at the 2019 World Economic Forum in Davos, Thunberg's core message has remained the same: heed the science and act accordingly. She emphasized that the climate crisis is urgent and that world leaders and everyone else must take immediate action as if the planet is on fire.

Despite the lack of action from world leaders, Thunberg and other activists have not changed their approach. 'Right now, we are just repeating the same message, like a broken record,' she said. 'We continue to take to the streets, repeating the message until it resonates with people. If we find better ways to reach people in the future, we will adjust our tactics.'

Thunberg highlighted the many positive signs in the climate crisis, noting that millions of people worldwide are actively engaging in change. 'When I take action, I don’t feel hopeless because I know I’m doing everything I can,' she said. 'This gives me hope, especially when I see so many other activists fighting for their present and future.'

When asked about her vision for herself and humanity ten years from now, Greta Thunberg smiled and responded, "I have no idea. I believe as long as I'm giving it my all, and we are all doing everything we can, we can live in the present and work toward changing the future while we still have time, rather than attempting to predict what will happen."

Mark Hertsgaard is the executive director and co-founder of Covering Climate Now and serves as The Nation's environment correspondent.

This article originally appeared in The Nation and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global media collaboration aimed at enhancing climate coverage. The interview with Greta Thunberg was conducted by CCNow partners NBC News, Reuters, and The Nation.