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Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg (c) leads the youth climate demonstration on 22 February 2019 in Paris. REUTERS / Philippe Wojazer

Behind Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg, who became the face of the fight against global warming, about a thousand young people marched on Friday 22 February in Paris for the climate.

"Fewer rich, more hives," "Earth, you love it or you leave it." Supervised by law enforcement agencies, the young demonstrators marched from the Place de l'Opéra to the Republic Square. Among them, high school girls from prestigious Parisian establishments Louis-Legrand and Janson-de-Sailly. " If we do nothing now, in a few years, we will be fucked, we will all be dead, " gets carried away. " For us, it will be complicated if we leave things like this (...) We must mobilize now, " adds another.

" I think there are a lot of people who came because they heard that Greta Thunberg was coming. It's amazing that it can serve as a symbol, "enthused Anaïs Darenes, a young woman in civic service. Since the beginning of her weekly school strike last summer, the young Swede has become the darling of media and climate activists, and has inspired many other students around the world.

→ READ: Greta Thunberg, the quiet strength of the climate

Like Greta Thunberg, who settles every Friday in front of the Stockholm Parliament to demand more government action against global warming, thousands of young people have demonstrated in Germany, Australia or Britain. In Belgium, 7,500 young people were back on the streets Thursday, February 21, for the seventh week in a row. On this occasion, the young Swede made a strong speech, calling on European leaders to set a target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2030.

But this Friday, the young Swede remained more discreet, leaving the floor to other representatives of his movement at a press conference on the Republic Square. " I want adults to take responsibility. We go on strike because people do not do anything, "said 20-year-old Luisa Neubauer of Germany. Politicians "must show the courage we are showing today, " added Belgian Anuna de Wever.

Greta Thunberg and several representatives of the movement from Belgium were received at the end of the day by President Emmanuel Macron. " Young people are right: we can never do enough, " said Minister of Ecological Transition François de Rugy on BFMTV after the meeting, saying he understood the " impatience " of this youth.

In France, the youth movement for the climate is currently shy. Last week, about 200 high school students and students blocked traffic in front of the Ministry of Ecological Transition. The young French especially intend to mobilize on March 15, when Greta Thunberg calls for a "global strike for the future".

(With AFP)