Greta says we are failing. We need natural climate solutions, now.

Greta Thunberg cannot shout any louder. On Monday, she delivered a heart wrenching speech to the UN Climate Action summit in New York about the human reality of our changing climate while the world’s leaders stand by and do nothing.

“People are suffering. People are dying. Entire ecosystems are collapsing. We are in the beginning of a mass extinction. And all you can talk about is money and fairytales of eternal economic growth. How dare you!”

She speaks, as always, on behalf of the future of humankind. Our school children who, following Greta’s lead, came together in record numbers around the world on Friday to strike for climate.

“You are failing us. But the young people are starting to understand your betrayal. The eyes of all future generations are upon you. And if you choose to fail us I say we will never forgive you. We will not let you get away with this. Right here, right now is where we draw the line. The world is waking up. And change is coming, whether you like it or not.”

Greta has delivered a clear action for the world leaders gathered at the United Nations to respond to. But while we hold our breath awaiting their answer, what else can we do?

If you have three minutes and 40 seconds today (watch below). In it, Greta and journalist George Monbiot simply explain that – alongside stopping burning fossil fuels immediately – nature is a tool for fighting runaway climate change. Mangroves, peat bogs, jungles, marshes, swamps and coral reefs. They’re all perfectly designed to capture normal amounts of CO2 from the air.

Yet an area of forest the size of the UK is lost to deforestation each year. With the embers of the Amazon tragedy still hot, just when we need nature the most, we’re destroying it faster than ever.

In the video, they warn how the world spends 1000 times more on global fossil fuel subsidies than on natural based solutions. Just 2% of all money spent on tackling climate change goes on projects that protect, restore and use nature.

But the message Greta and George give ends hopefully. We can support campaigns to protect forests. We can plant trees to help ecosystems bounce back. And we can stop funding things that destroy nature on a massive scale.

Vote for people who defend nature. Join natural climate movements. Tell everyone you know. And share this video using #naturenow and naturalclimate.solutions. While Greta wakes our leaders up, let’s protect, restore and fund natural climate solutions – and help nature do what it’s designed to do.

If your organisation is looking for communications support, get in touch here.

Image by Anders Hellberg