Greta Thunberg

How dare you?

We are in the beginning of a mass extinction, and all you can talk about is money and fairy tales of eternal economic growth. How dare you!

I want you to panic. I want you to feel the fear I feel every day. And then I want you to act.

Our house is on fire. I am here to say, our house is on fire.

You say you love your children above all else, and yet you are stealing their future in front of their very eyes.

I am just a kid, but I am speaking for the silent majority.

The climate crisis has already been solved. We already have all the facts and solutions. All we have to do is to wake up and change.

Some people say that I should be in school instead. Some people say that I should study to become a climate scientist so that I can 'solve the climate crisis.' But the climate crisis has already been solved.

I have Asperger's, and that means I'm sometimes a bit different from the norm. And – given the right circumstances – being different is a superpower.

I often hear adults say: 'We must give the next generation hope.' But I don't want your hope. I don't want you to be hopeful. I want you to panic. I want you to feel the fear I feel every day. And then I want you to act.

If you are not willing to change, then we will change you.

My message is that we'll be watching you.

The eyes of all future generations are upon you. And if you choose to fail us, I say – we will never forgive you.

You are failing us. But the young people are starting to understand your betrayal.

Right here, right now is where we draw the line. The world is waking up. And change is coming, whether you like it or not.

Adults keep saying, 'We owe it to the young people to give them hope.' But I don't want your hope. I don't want you to be hopeful. I want you to panic.

The scientific consensus is clear: we need to act now. Not tomorrow, not next week, but now.

We are at a time in history where we can either choose to continue on this path, or we can choose to change.

I came to Davos to tell you that our house is on fire. Your inaction is fueling the flames.

We are not asking you to listen to us. We are asking you to listen to the science.