Greta Thunberg takes aim at New Zealand’s climate change plan

Teenage activist Greta Thunberg has taken aim at New Zealand’s climate change plan while saying there was not one politician who impressed her.

Climate change activist Greta Thunberg has taken a swipe at New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

The 18-year-old Swedish woman, who began the school strikes to raise awareness of climate change, brushed off the environmental action of Ms Ardern’s government during an interview with The Guardian.

The teenager said she couldn’t think of any politician who had impressed her.

The teenager said no politician had impressed her. Picture: Ina Fassbender/AFP

“It‘s funny that people believe Jacinda Ardern and people like that are climate leaders. That just tells you how little people know about the climate crisis,” Ms Thunberg said.

“Obviously the emissions haven‘t fallen. It goes without saying that these people are not doing anything.”

Last year, Ms Thunberg took aim at New Zealand’s commitment to reduce 1 per cent of emissions by 2025, writing on Twitter it was “nothing unique to any nation”.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Picture: Robert Kitchin

The country’s greenhouse gas emission fell 4.5 per cent in the year to the end of March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic but emissions resumed an upwards trend at the end of the year.

Ms Ardern has been seen as a leader for climate change.

She referred to the Climate Commission report as a “life or death situation” in June and from 2022 onwards the country will implement a carbon budget.

New Zealand Climate Change Minister James Shaw said the teenager was correct to say New Zealand‘s emissions haven’t yet decreased.

“That is why the work our government is doing is so important – and clearly we have a lot of work to do,“ Mr Shaw told Stuff on Sunday.

“This is a marathon effort involving every Minister and every part of government.”

He said a detailed plan to bring down emissions would be presented in 2022.

“We will also confirm ahead of the global climate talks in November an enhanced contribution towards meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement,” he said.

Originally published as Greta Thunberg takes aim at New Zealand’s climate change plan