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Current Events I

In this past week, young 16-year-old activist, Greta Thunberg, gave a tear jerking speech at the European Parliament as well as the UK Parliament on climate change. Brave Miss Thunberg, holding back tears, preached to the MOP about the urgency to act upon the issue of global warming. When speaking to the European Parliament, she referred to the immediate attention the Notre Dame received just the day before and how this attention and energy must be transmitted to a more global issue - the global crisis known as global warming. She speaks to the UK Parliament about the never-ending promises of reducing CO2 emissions, in the country known for the start of the industrialization period, but the failure to commit to these promises. As she finished both of her speeches, she received positive feedback from the MOP, but she was not looking for gratitude on her moving speech or sympathy on what people have down to the Earth, but rather action. Whether or not her speech will be the catalyst for the MOP to take action and refocus their attention on this existential crisis rather than Brexit, is to be determined. 

This speech is relevant to the issue because it is a cry for help from the younger generation, along with the school strikes for climate change that have been going on for almost one year now. This is the first time that a high school student has had the opportunity to criticize the MOP as well as call for immediate action. This little girl with such proficient literary and retained emotions had the opportunity to exhort to the MOP what many have been wanting to say. The news reported on this event, but nothing speaks louder than watching the videos of her speak to this crowd of politicians. As a result of this event and media coverage, this crisis can only become more prominent.

Main Article on Thunberg speaking at the European Parliament: https://www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/articles/news/greta-thunberg-urges-eu-‘take-action-now’-speech-european-parliament

Main Article on Thunberg speaking at the UK Parliament: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/apr/23/greta-thunberg

Videos done by Thunberg:

Thunberg speaking at the European Parliament: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14w8WC1I3S4

Thunberg speaking at the UK Parliament: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYNM4rsnNFM&t=12s

More information:

Thunberg giving a TED Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAmmUIEsN9A&t=78s


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