Bushfires: Greta Thunberg lashes ‘political inaction’

The 16-year-old Swedish climate change activist unloads, as debate around the fires becomes increasingly political.

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg. Picture: AFP

Teen climate change activist Greta Thunberg has blamed political inaction for fuelling the bushfire crisis gripping Australia, demanding it “has to change. Now.”

The 16-year-old Swedish campaigner took to social media on Sunday night to weigh in on the increasingly political debate raging around the devastating fires, which have claimed the lives of at least 10 people so far this season, and destroyed more than 750 homes.

“Not even catastrophes like these seem to bring any political action,” she said.

“How is this possible?

”Because we still fail to make the connection between the climate crisis and increased extreme weather events and nature disasters like the #AustraliaFires.

”That’s what has to change. Now.”

Not even catastrophes like these seem to bring any political action. How is this possible?
Because we still fail to make the connection between the climate crisis and increased extreme weather events and nature disasters like the #AustraliaFires
That's what has to change.
Now. https://t.co/DQcZViKJQz

— Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) December 22, 2019

The Australian reached out to Ms Thunberg last week for her thoughts on the role Australia needed to play on the global stage to help tackle climate change.

However, a spokesman for the teenager said she would not be able to comment on the issue “for the foreseeable future” as she was resting over the holidays.