On Sept. 28, Greta Thunberg voiced her opinions regarding current climate change policies at the Youth4Climate summit in Milan, chastising world leaders for failing to institute initiatives on climate change. Thunberg condemned their “empty words and unfulfilled promises” and stunned the audience with the bitter truth.

“At first, I was astonished by how Thunberg bluntly criticized politicians in front of hundreds,” Sarah Yim (11), executive member of the Environmental Vision club, said. “But after listening to her full speech, her courage really motivated me to spread greater awareness about climate change in our school community.”

During the summit, the 18-year-old activist opened her speech by mocking the soundbites of the world leaders, including the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Thunberg dismissed Johnson’s climate change slogan stating, “Thirty years of blah, blah, blah, net-zero by 2025 blah, blah, blah.” Although her speech mostly derided current climate change policies, Thunberg ultimately encouraged the global community to take immediate action and avoid a bleak future. 

“I believe Greta Thunberg is a figure of inspiration for everyone,” Triston Lee (11), founder of the Environmental Vision club, said. “Her efforts to address the reality and drawbacks of our current climate change policies are truly admirable, and I hope students of our school community also recognize the growing concerns of climate change.”

Since 2018, Thunberg has sought to address the importance of combating climate change by organizing campaigns such as Fridays For Future —a youth-led climate strike movement. In her recent Milan speech, she specifically emphasized transforming energy use, nature conservation, and climate adaptation as necessary practices for climate protection. 

“As Greta mentioned in her speech, we only have one planet Earth and if we don’t start protecting the environment now, it will most certainly impact our future generations,” Allyson Lee, AP Environmental Science teacher, said. “In that sense, by teaching students subjects such as science and history, the school can cultivate environmental awareness and help produce future leaders who can protect our environment.” 

Echoing Thunberg’s urge for climate action, SIS students are currently engaged in various environmental projects to promote climate action. In particular, the Environmental Vision club is publishing research booklets addressing the effects of global warming. The Green club is also designing climate change posters to distribute around the school community.

“It is especially important for the youth today to voice their opinions on climate change and other environmental issues because, in the end, it will be the youth and future generations who are left with the responsibility to take care of the Earth,” Ewan Huh (11), executive member of the Green Club, said. “Students in our community can easily become leaders of climate change by both small and big actions such as sharing news on social media, hosting earth-friendly events, or fundraising.”