Environmentalists From Sweden

"We are still speeding in the wrong direction. The five years following the Paris agreement have been the five hottest years ever recorded and, during that time, the world has emitted more than 200bn tonnes of CO2. Distant hypothetical targets are being set, and big speeches are being given. Yet, when it comes to the immediate action we need, we are still in a state of complete denial as we waste our time, creating new loopholes with empty words and creative accounting... Leaders should be telling the truth: that we are facing an emergency and we are not doing nearly enough. We need to prioritise the action that needs to be taken right here and right now, because it is right now that the carbon budget is being used up. We need to stop focusing on goals and targets for 2030 or 2050... We need to implement annual binding carbon budgets today. There is hope … we are the hope – we, the people... For me, the hope lies in democracy – it is the people who have the power. If enough people stand up together and repeat the same message, then there are no limits to what we can achieve."

"We are in a global emergency, which affects all of us. But everyone is not suffering its Consequences equally... Africa is being disproportionately hit by the climate crisis, despite contributing to it among the least."

"We can have as many meetings as we like, but the will to change is nowhere in sight. Society must start treating this as a crisis...On Thursday 20 August, it will be exactly two years since the first school strike for the climate took place.... Today, leaders all over the world are speaking of an “existential crisis”. The climate emergency is discussed on countless panels and summits. Commitments are being made, big speeches are given. Yet, when it comes to action we are still in a state of denial. The climate and ecological crisis has never once been treated as a crisis. The gap between what we need to do and what’s actually being done is widening by the minute. Effectively, we have lost another two crucial years to political inaction...."

"We understand the world is complicated and that what we are asking for may not be easy or may seem unrealistic. But it is much more unrealistic to believe that our societies would be able to survive the global heating we’re heading for – as well as other disastrous ecological consequences of today’s business as usual... This mix of ignorance, denial and unawareness is at the very heart of the problem... The only way forward is for society to start treating the crisis like a crisis... We can still avoid the worst consequences. But to do that, we have to face the climate emergency and change our ways. And that is the uncomfortable truth we cannot escape."

"Still waiting for the EU and individual democratic nations to officially condemn the police brutality and attacks on the free press escalating the USA. For how long are we going to stand by, watch and say nothing?"

"The last 2 months the European Central Bank has injected 7,6 billion € into fossil fuels. Allow me to doubt the seriousness of the EUs' so called "green" recovery plan..."

"Devastating to see the development taking place in the USA. Centuries of structural and systematic racism and social injustice won’t go away by itself. We need a global structural change. The injustices must come to an end. #BlackLivesMatter"

"Today is a shameful day for Europe, as we open up a brand new coal power plant. We have signed up to lead the way to avoid a climate disaster - and yet this the signal we send to the rest of the world? How dare you indeed"

"On Saturday @uniper_energy and Finnish state owned @Fortum will open a brand new coal power plant #Datteln4 in Germany. Those in power clearly lied when they said they cared about their children’s future. If you needed proof that their words and promises were empty, this is it."

"In Sweden @FortumSverige is running a huge “green” campaign saying that “The future is already here”, and that they ”have decided to take care of the future”. This takes #greenwashing to a whole new dimension."

"I’m asking everyone to step up and join me in support of UNICEF’s vital work to save children’s lives, to protect health and continue education... Like the climate crisis, the coronavirus pandemic is a child-rights crisis... It will affect all children, now and in the long-term, but vulnerable groups will be impacted the most."

"It seems like the people in power have given up...They say it’s too hard — it’s too much of a challenge. But that’s what we are doing here. We have not given up because this is a matter of life and death for countless people.... Either we choose to go on as a civilization or we don’t... That is as black or white as it gets. There are no gray areas when it comes to survival."

"Very honoured to receive Human Act Award. The prize money - USD $100’000 - will be donated to @unicef . Human Act will match this donation with an additional USD 100,000. Today we’re launching a funding campaign to support UNICEF in the corona crisis."

"I felt very alone that I was the only one who seemed to be worried about this... I was the only one left in this sort of bubble. Everyone else could just continue with their lives as usual, and I couldn’t do that... I thought what the Parkland students did was so brave... Of course, it was not the only thing that got me out of that feeling. I did it because I was tired of sitting and waiting. I tried to get others to join me, but no one was interested and no one wanted to do that. So I said, ‘I’m going to do this alone if no one else wants to do it.’"

""If watching children being systematically starved, over two million people being systematically starved by Israel is not enough to motivate you to get out of the couch, then what is it going to take?"

"“I think the world needs many more young angry women, to be honest, especially with everything going on right now.” — comment after being described as “angry” by a political figure."

"“We are doing this because, no matter what odds we are against, we have to keep trying. Because the moment we stop trying is when we lose our humanity.” — in relation to the humanitarian aid mission she joined."

"“The words we will use to describe people who are standing on the wrong side of history, supporting or committing war crimes, those words do not exist yet, those slurs do not exist yet, but we will be using them …” — addressing political leaders during the Gaza-aid flotilla."

"“We were 12 peaceful volunteers sailing on a civilian ship carrying humanitarian aid on international waters… We did not break laws. We did nothing wrong.” — after her deportation/interception in international waters."

"We can no longer let the people in power decide what is politically possible."

"We are not going anywhere. This fight has only just begun."

"We feel like we have no other choice but to try new, different methods in order to get our voices heard.”"

"We are in a planetary emergency (…) It is our duty to demand justice for the future generations.”"

"The climate crisis is only going to get worse and so it is all our responsibilities, all of those who have an opportunity to act must do so.”"

"We are here because we are facing an existential crisis. We are in a planetary emergency, and we are not going to stand by and let people lose their lives and livelihood and be forced to become climate refugees when we can do something.”"

"We must remember who the real enemy is.”"

"It is clear that private jets are incompatible with ensuring present and future living conditions on this planet. So we’re not going to let this continue. We’re not going to let the rich, who are responsible for the majority of aviation emissions, get away with sacrificing people and the planet in order to maintain their extreme lifestyles."

"“Sweden is unfortunately not unique in completely ignoring the climate crisis, not treating it as an emergency at all. But actively trying to greenwash, deceive and lie in order to make it seem like they are doing enough… So we are not a climate leader at all.”"

"“We are in a planetary emergency and we are not going to stand by and let people lose their lives and livelihood and be forced to become climate refugees when we can do something.”"

"It is nauseating to see the hypocrisy and double standards of holding a climate-focused conference in Azerbaijan."

"We can’t give them any legitimacy in this situation, which is why we are standing here … saying no to greenwashing and no to the Azerbaijani regime.”"

"Sweden in particular is very good at greenwashing and framing themselves as a climate leader, when we have very high emissions per capita … So we are not a climate leader at all.”"

"“As the COP29 climate meeting is reaching its end, it should not come as a surprise that yet another COP is failing. … The people in power are yet again about to agree to a death sentence to the countless people whose lives have been or will be ruined by the climate crisis.”"

"“We need to stop hosting climate conferences in places like Azerbaijan, a country that is repressing its own population to an extreme degree… If we are standing up for justice, that has to mean justice for everyone.”"

"“We cannot remain silent. No one can remain silent when there is an ongoing genocide and when people are denied the most basic human needs,”"

"We must always stand up and speak up against oppression, imperialism, war, all forms of discrimination and racism. To stand with Palestine is to be human. We cannot allow ourselves to be silenced,"

"We have drones flying above us every night, but for Palestinians, especially in Gaza, those drones are dropping bombs constantly,"

"This mission is about Gaza, it isn’t about us. And no risks that we could take could even come close to the risks the Palestinians are facing every day."

"“I think the world needs many more young angry women, to be honest,”"

"“Also to send solidarity and say that we see you, we see what is happening and we cannot accept just witnessing all this and doing nothing.”"

"“This is yet another intentional violation of rights that is added to the list of countless other violations that Israel is committing.”"

"“I was very clear in my testimony that we were kidnapped on international waters and brought against our own will into Israel,”"

"absolutely nothing compared to what people are going through in Palestine and especially Gaza right now”"