I said I wanted you to panic.

I've been warned that telling people to panic about the climate crisis

is a very dangerous thing to do.

But don't worry, it's fine.

Trust me, I've done this before, and I can assure you

it doesn't lead to anything.

And for the record, when we children tell you to panic,

we're not telling you to go on like before.

We're not telling you to offset your emissions by just paying

someone else to plant trees in places like Africa,

while at the same time forests like the Amazon are being slaughtered

as an infinitely higher rate.

Planting trees is good, of course, but it's nowhere near enough

of what is needed and it cannot replace real mitigation and rewilding nature.

And let's be clear, we don't need a low carbon economy.

We don't need to lower emissions.

Our emissions have to stop if we are to have a chance

to stay below the 1.5˚c target.

This is not about right or left.

We couldn't care less about your party politics.

From a sustainability perspective, the right, the left, as well as the centre

have all failed.

No political ideology or economic structure has been able

to tackle the climate and environmental emergency and create a cohesive

and sustainable world.

Because that world, in case you haven't noticed, is currently on fire.

You say children shouldn't worry, you say just leave this to us.

We will fix this.

We promise we won't let you down. Don't be so pessimistic.

And then nothing.

Silence or something worse than silence.

Empty words and promises which give the impression

that sufficient action is being taken.

We demand at this year's World Economic Forum, participants from all companies,

banks, institutions and governments immediately halt all investments

in fossil fuel exploration and extraction, immediately end all fossil fuel subsidies

and immediately and completely divest from fossil fuels.

We don't want these things done by 2050 or 2030 or even 2021.

We want this done now.

I wonder, what will you tell your children

was the reason to fail and leave them facing a climate chaos

that you knowingly brought upon them?

That it seemed so bad for the economy that we decided to resign the idea

of securing future living conditions without even trying?

Our house is still on fire.

Your inaction is fuelling the flames by the hour.

And we are telling you to act as if your loved your children above all else.

Thank you.