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Youth Climate Activists Under Attack

In the wake of online attacks on Greta Thunberg after she blasted climate deniers, American youth activists Alexandria Villaseñor and Lia Harel told Brut how they’re planning to face down any intimidation.

Despite the smear campaigns, U.S. youth climate activists are turning up the pressure

Inspired by Greta Thunberg’s Fridays for Future movement, Villaseñor has emerged as a leading figure within the U.S. youth climate movement. But speaking truth to power is not without risks, especially for a youth climate activist. Following a recent wave of attacks by right-wing politicians and media, Swedish activist Greta Thunberg hit back with a tweet at an Australian journalist who called her "deeply disturbed". “I am indeed” deeply disturbed” about the fact that these hate and conspiracy campaigns are allowed to go on and on and on just because we children communicate and act on the science. Where are the adults?”

In July, the teenager also had to call out French politicians after they boycotted her Parliamentary visit. Youth climate activists have been under attack in the U.S. too — where climate science denial is more widespread compared with other countries. Despite the smear campaigns, U.S. youth climate activists are turning up the pressure. “My message to Greta Thunberg, because she has been cyber bullied and as well facing the attacks of climate deniers, is to continue what you're doing, because when climate deniers feel threatened by how your activism and the message and influence you have, then you are really making a difference. So, you have my support and the support of all the strikers all around the world,” Alexandria Villaseñor, Climate activist shouts out in support.

Lia Harel, Climate activist and iMatter leader adds, “I think immediately we need to recognize that continuing burning fossil fuels is making the problem worse. Every single minute of every single day. So that needs to be addressed immediately. Second, we need to make sure that we are moving our money away from fossil fuel infrastructure and moving that towards building renewable energy and making sure that our investments in that are really what is driving the economy to grow. And finally I think that what needs to happen is there needs to be a stop in the controversy around the word climate change and we need to accept the fact, that it is fact, and that it's time.”

As Thunberg announced she will be joining the UN Climate Summit in New York City in September, U.S. activists are now planning for the largest-ever climate protests.

Brut.

08/11/2019 11:58 AM
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45 comments

  • Ramon O.
    08/11/2019 12:15

    Yes. The youth is the future, look at Hongkong, Moscow etc.

  • Kenneth B.
    08/11/2019 12:46

    Climate changes! Enough said.

  • Nicholas S.
    08/11/2019 14:57

    Elsewhere accused me of being stuck with 70’s science, out of date & touch. Arrhenius proposed the RGHE in 1896. Spencer Weart noted that Savante’s contemporaries considered him full of baloney back then. In 1909 R. W. Wood debunked RGHE through experimentation. Classical science back when it had some semblance of integrity. RGHE is over 120 years old. How current is that? Now for something completely contemporaneous: the UCLA Diviner mission. Point the First UCLA considers 71.6 F to be the earth’s “average” temperature, about 22 C. That doesn’t mesh w/ IPCC’s & WMO’s 15 C or Trenberth/NOAA’s 16 C. So much for scientific consensus. Point the Twoth Per UCLA the moon is blazing hot on the lit side and bitter cold on the dark, the 2nd most extreme variation in the solar system, because it has not an insulating atmosphere like the earth. Hmmmm. The extremely obvious corollary is that without the atmosphere the earth would be much like the moon (Nikolov & Kramm knew it, wouldn’t say it.) that is: blistering hot on the lit side and bitter cold on the dark, a total contradiction and refutation of RGHE that postulates exactly the opposite. The 30% reflective albedo created and sustained by the atmosphere cools the earth compared to no atmosphere. The atmosphere’s insulating properties, i.e. thermal resistance, is how come the surface is warmer than the ToA just like a house. And RGHE/man caused climate change/global warming goes kerbluey!

  • Michal H.
    08/11/2019 15:40

    Look up Randal Carlson.

  • Steve P.
    08/11/2019 17:43

    Climate change is not to be denied ... The cause is NOT solely Man-Made! ... That is where the Hoax Lies! ... It's a political sham!

  • Brut
    08/12/2019 13:40

    "There is no middle ground when it comes to the climate and ecological emergency." Climate activist Greta Thunberg has a strong message to politicians who treat climate science as fiction. 🌎3

  • James M.
    08/12/2019 21:34

    What a load of indoctrination crap. We have minimal affect on the environment. One volcanic eruption does more than we can in a decade

  • Andy M.
    08/13/2019 22:29

    Remove the "r" anf add a "t" and you'll see where your argument for global warming is coming from.

  • Steve P.
    08/15/2019 17:34

    https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.yaleclimateconnections.org%2F2019%2F05%2Fare-carbon-offsets-a-scam%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR0vj_F9XmlP16AyZogqEsMzMECQUafBiBLaFuLhxJgs2ZBxO8uKLsd4pNk&h=AT1HaSLIJQnXXVy2lIzKv75IFmvQuFqx__8zgBJVd3iiryYU_Zoe_uKwhgHJ9Si-NHOt2tPT903CT3M3dDoaa-3C4AvRySmvRoP5GiqggPZzq5-0MpmwhK_Go8IGztHSAZnOonn4-k7sEq7zs0IbmPLAn-pj0wqbmAAmFG_FuO2Hg-6gpjx8-7Lm0FfkSt4

  • Jon O.
    08/16/2019 01:36

    You are fools! Climate change is not real , don't waist you're life on this crap! You are going to wake up one day and realize what a foo! You have been!

  • Doug K.
    08/16/2019 22:49

    The brainwashing continues global warming alarmist idiots

  • Thomas T.
    08/17/2019 16:11

    Titled (The Gullible…)

  • Kim R.
    08/18/2019 14:54

    God bless her truth. God demands that we care for Earth and all humans and creatures, period!

  • Bob A.
    08/18/2019 15:43

    Can anyone explain what caused the end of the last ice age? Certainly it wasn't human influence.....Where the protests against global warming then?

  • James B.
    08/18/2019 22:21

    This reads like an evangelical Christian testimonial

  • Erik H.
    08/18/2019 22:34

    Children shouldnt be activists, they are children and they have only the information avaliable to everyone, yet not near the capacity to understand or filter out the bs.

  • Jimmie J.
    08/19/2019 16:08

    Climate change is a myth. Bill Nye is not a science guy. The man who founded the Weather Channel said that climate change is a myth. I'll believe him before I believe a bunch of kids.

  • James N.
    08/19/2019 23:11

    Political lies we cannot control the climate it always changes love her misguided belief so sad she has been feed all these lies

  • Pete G.
    08/20/2019 14:17

    Love her or hate her you might as well get used to her because I don't think she is going away

  • Kelly R.
    08/20/2019 19:28

    all lies