Greta Thunberg and Sir David Attenborough met for the first time on Monday via Skype.
Sir Attenborough and Ms Thunberg spoke via Skype as they guest-edited the BBC’s Today Programme on Monday, not meeting in person in an effort to avoid adding to their carbon footprints.
The teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg told Sir Attenborough ‘it’s an honour to meet you’, while the broadcaster went on to congratulate her on her achievements to date.
Speaking via Skype he said;
“Oh, she’s achieved things that many of us who have been working on it for 20 odd years, have failed to achieve.
“That is you have aroused the world. I’m very grateful to you. We all are, really.”
On the programme, the two climate activists discussed how young people have been encouraging people of all ages to campaign for action on climate change. Greta, speaking from Stockholm said;
“I don’t know why people are listening to me. I don’t know how long it will last, I just know that right now people are listening to me and I need to use that opportunity and to try to get out as much as I can during that time.
Also on the program, Thunberg was asked what she thinks of the criticism of her by US President Donald Trump and others. She said;
“Those attacks are just funny,”
“Because I mean they obviously don’t mean anything. Well I guess of course it means something. It means that they are terrified of young people bringing change, which they don’t want. But that is just a proof that we are actually doing something. And that they see us as some kind of threat.”
The question came after earlier this month following Ms Thunberg being named as Time Magazine’s Person of the year, Mr Trump tweeted “Greta must work on her Anger Management problem, then go to a good old fashioned movie with a friend! Chill Greta, Chill!”.
Photo: Greta Thunberg in October 2019 | Credit: Anthony Quintano via Flickr under licence (CC BY 2.0)
