PM defends Thunberg — ‘we need climate advocates’

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has defended Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg — and her own Government’s record on climate change.

Thunberg has been met with both praise and backlash since a headlinegrabbing speech to the United Nations Climate Action Summit last week in which she chastised politicians and business leaders for inaction, captured with the phrase: “How dare you!”

Speaking to reporters yesterday, Ardern — who was at the summit — was asked about some of the criticism that had arisen after the fiery speech, and to the climate strikes, inspired by Thunberg, across New Zealand last Friday.

“I don’t think that’s fair. I do think we need climate advocates,” Ardern said. “It certainly couldn’t be easy having been thrust on to the world stage in that way, but I have deep admiration for her.”

The Prime Minister was also left defending her own Government’s record on climate change, with climate strikers — who organisers say numbered 170,000 across the country — demanding Parliament declare a climate emergency.

Green MP Chloe Swarbrick this year tried to have a climate emergency declared in Parliament but the motion failed.

Ardern said she was focused on action.

“I absolutely hear the sentiment around the symbolism around an emergency, but what people want is for us to make progress,” Ardern said. “What people want is action.” She pointed to a swathe of Government efforts over the past two years, including policies on subsidising low-emissions cars, the Zero Carbon Act and a ban on future offshore oil exploration.

“I am not going to pretend for a moment that that in itself is enough, but we are making progress.”