World Can't Wait

Student Disrupts Speech by U.S. Climate Envoy Todd Stern in Durban

At the United Nations Climate Change Conference in December 2011, the United States delegation obstructed any meaningful negotiations over the growing climate change crisis, not only refusing to act but preventing other countries from taking steps to save the planet.

As Todd Stern, the top US negotiator, began to speak at the U.N. summit for first time, Middlebury College student Abigail Borah interrupted the proceedings, saying, "The US government does not speak on my behalf."

Read the transcript:

CHAIRPERSON: Your Excellency, you have three minutes. Thank you.

ABIGAIL BORAH: 2020 is too late to wait. We need an urgent path to a fair, ambitious and legally binding treaty. You must take responsibility to act now, or you will threaten the lives of the youth and the world’s most vulnerable. You must set aside partisan politics and let science dictate decisions.

CHAIRPERSON: Can we listen to the speech? Nobody is listening to you.

ABIGAIL BORAH: You must pledge ambitious targets to lower emissions, not expectations. 2020 is too late to wait!

AMY GOODMAN: What is your name?

ABIGAIL BORAH: U.S.A.

AMY GOODMAN: What is your name?

ABIGAIL BORAH: Abigal Borah.

AMY GOODMAN: From which group? From which group?

ABIGAIL BORAH: The United States youth.

AMY GOODMAN: Why did you just interrupt this forum?

ABIGAIL BORAH: The United States government does not speak on my behalf.

Watch the video:

This story comes via Democracy Now, December 8, 2011.

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