Greta Thunberg: Activist calls on banks to stop funding climate 'destruction'

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Greta Thunberg has called on banks to "stop funding our destruction", ahead of the UN COP26 climate summit.

The teenage Swedish climate activist is in London to take part in protests demanding the financial system stops funding fossil fuel projects.

She told the BBC's Andrew Marr that "change is possible" at the summit, if pressure on politicians is maintained.

But she added she has not been "officially" invited to speak at the event in Glasgow.

The demonstrations against investment in fossil fuel projects come as world leaders gather in the Scottish city ahead of COP26's opening on Sunday.

The protest in London is part of a series taking place on Friday at financial centres around the world, including New York, San Francisco and Nairobi.

The COP26 conference will see more than 200 countries asked to set out their plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

The summit is seen as crucial if countries are to implement a pledge made in 2015 keep global warming "well below" 2C above pre-industrial levels.

As the host country, the UK is under pressure to get them to make ambitious commitments to reduce the greenhouse gases they emit.

In an interview to be aired on Sunday, Ms Thunberg said poorer countries most affected by climate change should have a bigger presence at the event.

She added it was "not fair" that some nations would send "lots and lots" of delegates, whilst nations from the so-called Global South would be "under-represented".

And she added the talks would not succeed if the world "continues to ignore" the "historical responsibility" of industrialised countries to cut their carbon emissions.

The United States is seen as a key player in the success of the summit, with President Joe Biden arriving in Europe on Friday ahead of the event.

His $1.75 trillion (£1.2tn) Build Back Better social welfare package includes more than $500bn of spending on green policies.

Mr Biden has described the measures as historic - but Ms Thurnberg called on the US to go further.

Asked whether the US could be seen as a world leader on climate change, she replied: "Of course, everyone has the possibility, but if they continue like now, no".

"We all understand, activists, that this doesn't fall on one single person.

"But of course, when you are a leader of the most powerful country in the world, you have lots of responsibility.

"When the US is in fact expanding fossil fuel infrastructure, that is a clear sign that they are not really treating the climate crisis as an emergency."

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