When Greta Thunberg first heard about global warming, she
was 8 and when she started giving speeches on climate changes and protested in
front of the Swedish parliament with the placard “school climate strikes” she
was 15! Well, it is nothing less than phenomenal that she has stood up for a
great cause like climate change from a very young age. I salute her bravery,
her conviction to make this planet a better place to live. And I don’t have any
problems with her age either. I am in fact proud of what she has managed to achieve
at the age of 16. But with all the contrasting side effects of her fame and her
defiance, her approach to tackle a global problem of such epic proportion having
no tangible outcomes yet, is her deed worth a Nobel?
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| SKOLSTREJK FOR KLIMATET in Swedish translates to "School strike for Climate" |
Her approach
According to Ms. Thunberg, the prospect of global warming and
the rising temperature across the globe has frightened her, so she is not going
to school and protesting. Well, good. But giving blunt replies to global leaders
in public forums and handing out leaflets with words like "I am doing this
because you adults are shitting on my future." is not the right approach
to solve the global warming problem.
Ms. Thunberg is too young to even fathom what it takes to
understand the sort of a systematic approach to solve a serious problem like
climate change. She goes on to say (in her own words) "I want you to act
as if the house was on fire — because it is". And "We're facing an
immediate unprecedented crisis that has never been treated as a crisis and our
leaders are all acting like children”. While this behavior of hers could be attributed
to her being diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, climate change is not a
traffic problem to be solved by envisaging a mass rapid transit system. She needs
to calm down. Global warming cannot be addressed with the urgency that she
defines. She is nobody to dictate the urgency. There are capable people and governing
bodies to act on. She needs to work on her approach to address real issues. Above
all, she should stop her ‘How Dare You’
kind of overdramatic speeches and get in terms with the fact that speeches doesn’t
change much.
Setting a detrimental example
Greta Thunberg’s success story, on one front has gained greater
momentum and the world is grateful for the awareness she has managed to create
about climate change. But on the other, a lot of youngsters all over, Sweden in
particular, are fascinated by the idea of “Why go to school. Let’s protest in
the name of climate change”. And why not; At 16, Greta has a colossal fame with
a whooping 5.5 million Instagram followers, a Wikipedia page, invitations to
give TED talks and get to travel across the world, and now Nobel prize nomination.
What exactly has she done? Inventions? Discoveries? Humanity service? Nope! She
just symbolized a global problem and BOOM! She is a messiah to save mother earth.
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| Greta Thunberg's lunch en route Denmark - With paper cup, Plastic Vegan salad box and polythene bread cover |
At 16, the idea of getting to limelight looks very lucrative
and it is too fancy to not think and dream of such colossal fame for teens. it
cannot be denied that she has set a detrimental example to others of her age group.
This is a very dangerous state for the teens to be in. This has to be addressed
by helping kids understand that the world out there isn’t an equal opportunity
employer. Encourage them to deal with failures in life.
Nobel standards
Since childhood, I have always known the Nobel prize being
awarded to the deserved candidates in recognition of academic, cultural or breakthrough
scientific advances (except for peace prize). Perhaps the committee wants to
set right expectations about climate changes. But IMHO, the nomination committee
should have also considered the tangible achievements of Greta Thunberg and her
contribution about the climate issue.
Hands with Vested interests(?)
Just Yesterday, climate activist Greta Thunberg along with
15 other children from around the world submitted a complaint to the Committee
on the Rights of the Child. They targeted Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany
and Turkey. In the complaint, she alleges that these countries are “recklessly
causing and perpetuating life-threatening climate change [and] have failed to
take necessary preventive and precautionary measures to respect, protect, and
fulfill the petitioners’ rights.
Sounds something fishy? There you are! China, the highest
emitter of Co2 is not even there in the list. This just adds to my suspicion
that there could be political hands behind Greta’s motivation.
Malala symbolizing the girl’s education or Kashmir issues and
Greta Thunberg getting nominated this year by symbolizing climate change has not
just diminished the chances of identifying the really outstanding contributors
of humanity, but a fundamentally wrong message is being sent across that it is
cool to symbolize a social or economic problem and get elevated to the state of
being known or talked about by millions, especially on account of notable
achievements, when in real, you haven’t any.
I just hope that future for all of us is not as frightening as
Greta Thunberg or Malala is trying to portray.
