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COP26: Former US President Obama tells young people to 'stay angry' about climate change

Barack ObamaEPA

Former US President Barack Obama has told young people to "stay angry" in the fight against climate change.

The 44th president of the United States Mr Obama was at COP26 to meet with youth activists and give a speech about the threat of climate change.

Mr Obama focused on addressing young people and gave some advice on how children can use their power to make a difference.

Who is Barack Obama?

  • He is the former president of the United States of America

  • Obama was the country's first black president

  • He was the 44th president and was in office from 2009 - 2017

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Jane Barlow/PA Wire

In his speech Mr Obama agreed with young activists saying: "You are right to be frustrated. Folks in my generation have not done enough to deal with a... problem that you now stand to inherit."

Mr Obama talked about how protesting and hashtags can raise awareness but young people should also get involved with politics, saying they "can't ignore politics."

He urged people to get out and vote for politicians who will stand against climate change: "Vote like your life depends on it, because it does", he said.

Other advice he gave was for young people to support businesses that were sustainable, when shopping, and avoid those that were not.

"I want you to stay angry. I want you to stay frustrated. Channel that anger, harness that frustration, keep pushing harder and harder for more because that's what's required to meet this challenge," he said.

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What did people think of his speech?

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Vanessa Nakate called out Obama for not keeping his promises whilst he was president

Mr Obama received applause at the end of his speech but not everyone agreed with what he said.

Talking in Glasgow, he called out nations for not meeting the pledges they agreed to in the 2015 Paris Agreement, when he was in power at the White House.

But climate activist Vanessa Nakate posted on twitter that during his time as President he too didn't deliver on key promises, including failing to give $100bn (£73bn) a year in climate finance to poorer nations.

Mr Barack Obama, I was 13 when you promised $100bn climate finance. The US has broken that promise, it will cost lives in Africa. Earth's richest country does not contribute enough to life-saving funds. You want to meet COP26 young. We want action.

— Vanessa Nakate, Climate activist

Mr Obama ended his speech by telling the crowd that it will be hard to fight climate change, but "humanity has done hard things before... I believe we can do hard things again."

What do you think of Obama's comments? Would you get involved with politics as a way to help fight against climate change? Let us know in the comments below.

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