Climate activist Greta Thunberg speaks during the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26). © Reuters / Dylan Martinez

The teen activist has criticized the ‘strange’ portrayal of the US administration as leading on climate change

Speaking to the Washington Post, Greta Thunberg has condemned President Biden for overseeing fossil fuel infrastructure expansion across the US despite having set ambitious climate goals that would see it hit net zero by 2050.

The wide-ranging interview saw Thunberg address international efforts to tackle climate change in the wake of COP26, which she had previously called a failure and a PR event. While accepting that the summit had been a step forward, the activist opined that it doesn’t mean anything unless nations actually fulfil those ambitions.

As for Biden, Thunberg said she rejected the idea that the US president was leading the world in addressing the threat posed by climate change, given the US was expanding its fossil fuel infrastructure.

Seemingly frustrated by what she saw as the failure of politicians to address the climate issue, Thunberg noted how it was falling to activists and teenagers who just want to go to school to raise this awareness and flag the fact that we are actually facing an emergency.

The US has pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and deliver 100% clean electricity by 2035 and net zero emissions by 2050. However, despite these ambitious goals, it has temporarily called for a global increase in oil production to balance out the rise in gas prices that has hampered its economic recovery from the pandemic.