... to find the whole Greta Thunberg thing a bit uncomfortable?

[NotMyRealName11]

She's obviously a passionate and highly intelligent young woman, she's expressing her views, and she seems happy.

But I feel that it's a lot of pressure for her, especially given her history. I hope it is not too much.

I absolutely accept that different situations can have a different effect for different people... and for her, this seems to be therapeutic. But I would be worried for my daughter if she were dealing with this pressure.

It seems to me that you know little about Greta thunberg.Her further seems to accompany her on her travelsShe has persuaded her family to become vegan,stop flying etc.She is a better speaker than her father partly because she knows her subject better.As for caring what complete nonentities like Arron banks 'thinks'.Do you?I am also completely mystified by your assertion that she is being manipulated.By whom?Her message is simple.The so called'Adults' of the world need urgently to listen to the scientists and start behaving like adults.I haven't given over flying or driving.I never started.Im not a climate criminal.Anyone who like Greta and me who has studied the evidence is appalled by our potential future or lack of it.I suggest you read the latest IPCC 2015 report and watch Greta and other people's speeches.People like you are the problem.What happened to the 12 year old activist.If we were to spend the money currently spent on war on combatting climate change then the problem could be brought under control not spiralling out of control as is happening now.Greta does not see herself as a leader but as part of a movement.These kids will look after each other.I went to their demo in Manchester recently.They sang and chanted for hours.Inspiring.

I just hope that the level of security she needs from being targeted by nutters isn't reduced any time soon.

I worry about her being a target for malicious and unstable bullies. I worry also about how as a teenager you feel you’re immune to the scrutiny of people you don’t know until you grow up and realise how vulnerable we all are.

I think it's awful op I really do.

"Way too up the Aspergers scale to be taken seriously". Disgusting, and utterly wrong. You realise you sound as if you're a man talking about women 50 years ago?

Knowing all the details of a complex problem had never been considered essential by NT middle aged men, so I'm not sure yours is a helpful caveat.

I find her so annoying I have to turn the TV off when she comes on.

I also feel she is being exploited which is very sad.

I agree, the whole charade makes me feel so uncomfortable

It reminds me scarely of Hunger Games

You're entitled to your view @NotMyRealName11 but I disagree.

She's not a baby. She's 16.

I think she'll be fine. She has a huge fanbase, and is raising awareness of the terrifying reality of climate change.

Floods at a biblical level not far from me this weekend. Luckily I live very high up. But just half hour to 45 minutes from me, people are wading about in 6 feet of water.

We need young folk like her to shout loud about how this needs to stop, and we need to act now.

That's half hour to 45 minutes drive!

jeffuk2015

I couldn't agree more.

The ozone hole over Antarctica this year is predicted to be the smallest in three decades. You don't hear all the climate change fanatics shouting out that bit of info. I personally place my faith in the planet which has been managing the climate for the last 3.5 billion years from ice age to tropical and back, not a 16 year old who I can only hope can cope when she returns to eventual obscurity.

That doesn't mean we shouldn't be reducing plastic which causes untold numbers of deaths of animals.

Did I really just read the phrase "troubled by Asperger"??! Fucking hell.

And someone else said she has "complex needs". I'm only aware that she is autistic am I missing something?

As an autistic woman I'm shocked at people's ignorance.

Oh ffs listen to you lot. Climate change deniers, Inc. You should take a good hard look at the science. We are in a crisis, the climate is changing and its not natural, its due to our consumption of fossil fuels and generation of carbon dioxide due to our use of fossil fuels, consumption and discarding of plastics etc

She's being used as a prop

How long has she been in America now? I’m worried she will outstay her visa before she works out how to get home and Trump will think it’s funny to force her onto a plane.

catmaiden I’m entirely in agreement with you but sadly have to say: Never underestimate people’s ignorance when it comes to ASD.

Hmmm. I know what you mean, but for most of human history, sixteen was considered adult... Holding her back from her passion could be harmful in a different way. She has already made a mark on the world in a way that few do and can always be proud of that. I think the media scrutiny / online abuse must be awful but there is something quite special, almost angelic, about her which, together with her pragmatism, makes me hope that perhaps she will be able to cope with it all.

That said I do foresee the media turning on her viciously as soon as she’s 18 and what she is doing is something I would find very hard if it were my child.

Her autism gives her great focus and dedication.

You're uncomfortable because it's a load of bollocks. It's the media circus. End of. There will be another hot topic along in a few months and another sacrifical lamb to go with it. Enjoy.

People fake-worry about her being manipulated or vulnerable in order to devalue her message. Which is largely identical to that of national treasure David Attenborough.

Yup. Me. The message is definitely a serious one, but it shouldn’t be coming from her, her parents seem to like using her to their benefit - to what end, I don’t know. They seem to want to make her some martyr but I genuinely think she’s far too young, it’s just not healthy for her.

I dont believe in climate change.
I dont believe at 16 years old Greta should be out here advocating anything.
But thats my opinion.
I'm uncomfortable with it to OP.

You're conflating two environmental issues there. The level of ozone depletion is irrelevant to climate change - O3 depletion allowed greater levels of UV radiation through the atmosphere, which is dangerous in terms of cancer, etc. And the level of chlorofluorocarbons in the atmosphere has reduced in response to people actually taking action to reduce their use - following a huge amount of campaigning in the late 1980s/early 1990s - when there were people saying it couldn't possibly be the cause and it was too late to bother doing anything about it, anyway.

Levels of carbon and methane in the atmosphere (and the resultant warming and consequences of having that warming in terms of weather patterns, reduction in the earth's albedo, increased moisture levels overall, a reduction in salinity levels disrupting oceanic circulation, etc, etc, etc) are a different issue.

Climate change deniers... 😖 Silvery the planet hasn't had us to contend with for 3.5 billion years though has it . How can people be so obtuse as to not see what is in front of them? Doubtless you will dismiss the current UK floods, record Australian bush fires and USA wild fires as just stuff that happens - do you not realise how the frequency now is so very different from the past? That the Arctic is 20 degrees hotter than it should be? 20 degrees fgs 🤦‍ how that doesn't keep people awake at night I just don't know.

I do feel concern re Greta but heavens knows she's got us waking up and hopefully doing something before we no longer can.