The Swedish campaigner delivered a passionate plea to a crowd of more than 10,000 climate protestors in the city of Lausanne. The teenage activist, speaking ahead of the World Economic Forum next week, called on leaders around the world to wake up to the climate emergency and warned “you have not seen the last of us”. Miss Thunberg sparked a worldwide movement last year by launching the ‘FridaysforFuture’ movement – which saw school children strike from their studies on Friday’s.
She told crowds: “So, we are now in a new year and we have entered a new decade and so far, during this decade, we have seen no sign whatsoever that real climate action is coming and that has to change.
“To the world leaders and those in power, I would like to say that you have not seen anything yet.
“You have not seen the last of us, we can assure you that.
“And that is the message that we will bring to the World Economic Forum in Davos next week.’’
Protestors in Switzerland showed their support for Miss Thunberg by holding posters alluding to the devastating bushfires in Australia.
Activists held signs including “Wake up and Smell the Bushfires” and “It is late but it is not too late”.
The last decade was confirmed as the warmest ever on record by three global agencies.
The Met Office, NASA and the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) found the Earth’s temperature had risen by 1C.
Last year was the second warmest on record dating back to the pre-industrial period in 1850, and saw record-breaking temperatures across Europe.
In June, France set a new national record of 46C, meanwhile Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg also saw record highs.
In the UK, a new high of 38.7C was recorded in Cambridge on July 25.
Dr Colin Morice, from the Met Office said: “Our collective global temperature figures agree that 2019 joins the other years from 2015 as the five warmest years on record.
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“And yet I’m one of the lucky ones. People are suffering. People are dying.
“Entire ecosystems are collapsing. We are in the beginning of a mass extinction.
“And all you can talk about is money and fairytales of eternal economic growth.
“How dare you.”
The World Economic Forum will be held in Davos between January 21-24.