New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has responded to the Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg's latest criticism of the country’s climate change policies. Thunberg on Saturday shared a news article, criticising the government's policies. The teen activist called it the “so-called climate emergency declaration”, adding, "In other words, the Government has just committed to reducing less than 1 percent of the country's emissions by 2025."
She also claimed that New Zealand's climate change policies are not "unique".
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Jacinda Ardern responds to Greta Thunberg
In response, Jacinda Ardern clarified that while she hadn't seen the tweet herself, it had been explained to her that Thunberg's tweet was a “reference to our public service carbon neutral goal of 2025,” The Guardian reported. Defending her country's position on tackling climate change, Ardern said that the said one percent was not a "sum ambition".
“I would, of course, give the context there that, if that was the sum ambition of any government, then that would be worthy of criticism," she said. “It is not our sum ambition. And it is not the totality of our plans on climate change,” Ardern further added.
“But again, I think that it’s actually for us just to get on with the business of fulfilling our obligations and expectations.”
Furthermore, praising activists like Greta Thunberg, Ardern said, "But equally I think it’s only a good thing (that) there are people out there continuing to urge ambition in action."
In October this year, Ardern won a second term in the office. Her leadership skills, especially during the pandemic, have earned her worldwide praise. She was even named as one of the World’s Top 50 Thinkers of COVID-19 Age by UK-based Prospect Magazine. Ardern took the second spot in the list that was led by Kerala’s Health Minister KK Shailaja.
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Thunberg's statement and Ardern's response to it come a week after Ardern declared a climate emergency. The NZ Prime Minister has been promoting climate-friendly policies during her tenure, including the passage of the Zero Carbon Act last year. This time, she assured that the government sector will only buy electric or hybrid cars henceforth.
Meanwhile, 17-year-old Thunberg was named Time Person of the Year last year and has recently accepted the Gulbenkian Prize For Humanity.
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