When the US university student Anjali Appadurai lambasted
diplomats from 194 countries for their lack of action and ambition at last
year's climate talks in Durban, she shocked the UN and galvanised the meeting.
She told them:
"I speak for half the world. We are the silent
majority. You've given us a seat in this hall, but our interests are not on the
table. What does it take to get a stake in this game? Lobbyists? Corporate
influence? Money? You've been negotiating all my life. In that time, you've
failed to meet pledges, you've missed targets, and you've broken promises, but
you've heard this all before."
