• Greta Thunberg is person of the year for "Time"
  • Duties, the truce between the USA and China arrives. Trump: "historic agreement"

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January 21, 2020Sparks from a distance between Greta Thunberg and Donald Trump on the opening day of the World Economic Forum in Davos. The young Swedish environmental activist immediately points the finger at inertia in the fight against climate change. The President of the United States responds with a mocking accusation to the "prophets of doom".

Greta: more climate awareness but nothing has changed
"From a certain point of view, a lot has happened, something that nobody could have foreseen: a greater awareness on a global level has spread" about the environment and climate change, said the young Swedish environmental activist speaking to a panel in the first day of the World Economic Forum in Davos. "There were a lot of guys - he continued - who came together for this alliance, movement, it is an important step. Today the climate, the environment is a 'hot topic'", that is, a 'hot' theme, heard, in the world. "However, nothing has been done from the point of view of emissions, we are still behind from the point of view of CO2 emissions", stressed the activist, explaining that "we are only at the beginning" and hoping that "we will start listening to the science and treat this crisis for what it is, because this is a real crisis ".



Trump: no to prophets of doom, it's time for optimism
A few hours later Trump's indirect and mocking answer arrives, who in his speech at the International Economic Forum magnifies the agreements reached on tariffs ("The best ever") and the role of the United States ("America is back to win" ), before accusing environmentalists of defeatism. "We must reject the perennial prophets of misfortune. This is not the time for pessimism. This is the time for optimism," says the American president. In his speech Trump added that "fear and doubt are not good advisors". "To embrace and welcome tomorrow's possibilities, we must reject this apocalypse that had been proposed to us - he insisted - We must forget those who yesterday presented us with a dark and gloomy future". "We - he said - will not let that happen".

"Agreements on duties the best ever"
Then in Davos it's Donald Trump's turn: "We have concluded extraordinary agreements on trade with China on the one hand, and Mexico and Canada on the other, the best agreements ever", claims the US president during his 'special address' at the World Economic Forum, underlining the lowest unemployment rate ever among the merits of its administration.

"America wins again like never before"
"When I spoke from this audience two years ago I said that I would launch the great return of America. Today we have rediscovered the great machine of America and the US industry. America has returned to winning like never before. "says Trump.

The climate as the main risk for the markets
In its Global Risk Report, the World Economic Forum indicated the climate as the main financial risk for global markets, even more than commercial tensions. Climate change and the need for an economy heading towards sustainability are therefore among the themes at the center of the debate.