Indian girl climbs COP28 stage and screams, “End Fossil Fuels”

Licypriya Kangujam, a 12-year-old Manipur climate activist, ran onto the platform today at the United Nations Climate Conference 2023 (COP28) in Dubai. She dashed onto the platform, clutching a placard that said, “End fossil fuels. Save our planet and our future.”

After running onto the platform, the adolescent made a brief statement condemning the usage of fossil fuels, for which she was applauded by the audience before being dragged away.

COP28 Director-General Ambassador Majid Al Suwaidi praised the little girl’s energy and asked the crowd to give her another round of applause.

“They detained me for over 30 minutes after this protest,” the activist from Manipur claimed in a video broadcast on X. “My only crime- Asking to Phase Out Fossil Fuels, the top cause of climate crisis today. Now they kicked me out of COP28.”

“What is the reason to cease my badge for protesting against the fossil fuels? ” She said in another post on X. “If you’re really standing against the fossil fuels, then you must support me and you must immediately release my badges. This is gross violation and abuse of Child Rights in the UN premises which is against the UN principle. I have the rights to raise my voice at UN.”

The phase-out of fossil fuels has been a point of contention at the COP28, with almost 200 countries attempting to reach an agreement.

This year’s climate conference in Dubai is attended by around 60,000 participants from 190 countries. The 12-year-old is Timor Leste’s Special Envoy.

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