Davos, Switzerland | The battle between climate activists and the energy and resources industries muscled its way to the top of the Davos agenda on Thursday, puncturing the cosy sense of solidarity among the global elite.

Swedish activist Greta Thunberg’s arrival at the World Economic Forum raised the emotional temperature, which was already building after an excoriating critique from United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres, and a stern warning from International Energy Agency boss Fatih Birol.