Teenage activist Greta 'wowed' by warm welcome, thunderous applause at Iowa climate event

Record ID: 1435105

  • Title: Teenage activist Greta 'wowed' by warm welcome, thunderous applause at Iowa climate event
  • Date: 4th October 2019
  • Summary: IOWA CITY, IOWA, UNITED STATES (OCTOBER 4, 2019) (REUTERS) WIDE OF IOWA CLIMATE CHANGE EVENT PERSON INTRODUCING CLIMATE CHANGE ACTIVIST GRETA THUNBERG / THUNBERG WALKING OUT TO THUNDEROUS APPLAUSE, CHANTS OF 'GRETA! GRETA!' (SOUNDBITE) (English) CLIMATE CHANGE ACTIVIST GRETA THUNBERG SAYING: "Well, wow...(LAUGHTER FORM AUDIENCE) I am incredibly proud and honored to be here with in Iowa City and in beautiful Iowa with all of you. And it's just so many people, I don't think anyone of us expected this many people. Thank you so much everyone for coming here." APPLAUSE WIDE OF THUNBERG ON STAGE (SOUNDBITE) (English) CLIMATE CHANGE ACTIVIST GRETA THUNBERG SAYING: "We have reached a tipping point where people have had enough and together, we are unstoppable. (APPLAUSE) We will not beg world leaders to care and to act. They have ignored us in the past and they will ignore us again. We will instead tell them that if they won't do it then we will. (APPLAUSE) Because the world is waking up and we are on the change. And change is coming whether they like it or not." (APPLAUSE) WIDE OF PEOPLE SITTING AS PART OF SILENT DEMONSTRATION DURING EVENT THUNBERG SEATED ON STAGE, HOLDING SIGN DURING SILENT DEMONSTRATION PEOPLE IN CROWD PARTICIPATING IN SILENT DEMONSTRATION THUNBERG HOLDING SIGN
  • Embargoed: 18th October 2019 19:23
  • Keywords: Greta Thunberg climate change environment Iowa City Swedish activist
  • Location: IOWA CITY, IOWA, UNITED STATES
  • City: IOWA CITY, IOWA, UNITED STATES
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Environment,Climate Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA001AZONGP3
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Teenage activist Greta Thunberg took her campaign demanding that world leaders tackle climate change, which began as a lonely vigil outside the Swedish parliament but saw her rise to address the United Nations last month, to Iowa City on Friday (October 4).
    "Wow," Thunberg said in response to extended thunderous applause and chants of 'Greta' that greeted her as she walked up for her prepared remarks.
    The 16-year-old Swede is stopping in the Midwestern city, located in the state that will vote first in next year's U.S. presidential nominating contests, as part of her tour of North America ahead of a U.N.-sponsored climate conference in Santiago, Chile, in December.
    In recent weeks, millions of people have poured onto streets around the globe in protests inspired by Thunberg to demand governments take emergency action on climate change.
    Climate activists in Iowa say they have called for local institutions to employ 100% renewable energy by the year 2030 and to cease operations at the University of Iowa's coal-burning plant, among other actions.
    A polarizing figure in the climate change debate, Thunberg is venerated by many of her peers and ridiculed by some critics. She is a bookmakers' favorite to win the Nobel Peace Prize this month, though her aggressive style may turn off some on the Nobel committee.
    Thunberg denounced world leaders for failing to tackle climate change and accused them of "stealing her dreams" in an impassioned speech at the United Nations Climate Action Summit last month.
    With events such as extreme weather, thawing permafrost and sea-level rise unfolding much faster than expected, scientists say the urgency of the climate crisis has intensified since the signing of the Paris accord in 2015.
    President Donald Trump intends to pull the United States out of the international deal that aims to reduce carbon emissions. Under terms of the pact, that cannot formally happen before Nov. 4, 2020.
    Scientists say existing pledges to curb emissions are nowhere near enough to avert catastrophic warming and have warned that failing to change course could ultimately put the survival of industrial societies at risk.
    (Production: Deborah Gembara)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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