Vladimir Putin claimed “nobody explained” to Greta Thunberg that the “modern world is complicated and complex”. The Russian president referred to Ms Thunberg’s climate change speech at the United Nations in New York in September. Speaking at an energy conference in Moscow, President Putin said: “I may disappoint you, but I do not share everyone’s enthusiasm about Greta Thunberg’s speech.
“You know, the fact that young people, teenagers, pay attention to the acute problems of the modern world, including ecology, that is right and very good. We need to support them.
“But when somebody uses children and teenagers in their own interests, it deserves only to be condemned.
“Nobody explained to Greta that the modern world is complicated and complex, it changes fast.
“People in Africa and in many Asian countries want to be as wealthy as people in Sweden. How can it be done?
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“By making them use solar energy, which is plentiful in Africa? Has anyone explained the cost of it?”
Following the criticism Ms Thunberg, 16, updated her Twitter bio to reference some of Putin’s comments.
Ms Thunberg’s bio now reads: “A kind but poorly informed teenager”.
Speaking at the UN Climate Action Summit on September 23, Ms Thunberg accused past generations of “stealing her dreams and childhood”.
The speech was met with an equal amount of thunderous applause and criticism. Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, was among those who praised the climate activist.
Prince Harry, who is supporting a forest conservation project in Botswana, said: “Genuinely, I don’t understand how anyone in this world, whoever we are – you, us, children, leaders, whoever it is – no one can deny science, otherwise we live in a very, very troubling world.”
Ms Thunberg’s UN speech was also welcomed by the Secretary-General of the UN António Guterres. He said: “My generation has failed in its responsibility to protect our planet. That must change.”
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However, the climate activist was mocked by the likes of US President Donald Trump. France’s Education Minister, Jean-Michel Blanquer, also called Ms Thunberg “pessimistic” and questioned the validity of her climate change concerns.
During the speech, Ms Thunberg declared: “How dare you pretend that this can be solved with business-as-usual and some technical solutions.
“With today’s emissions levels, that remaining CO2 budget will be entirely gone in less than eight and a half years. There will not be any solutions or plans presented in line with these figures today. Because these numbers are too uncomfortable. And you are still not mature enough to tell it like it is.
“You are failing us. But the young people are starting to understand your betrayal. The eyes of all future generations are upon you. And if you choose to fail us I say we will never forgive you. We will not let you get away with this. 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.”
Ms Thunberg is a 16-year-old environmental and climate activist from Sweden who rose to prominence in 2018.
Ms Thunberg kick-started an international movement of climate strikes when she solitarily skipped school to protest climate change outside the Swedish parliament.