Greta Thunberg: “How dare you?”
Commentary by Prof. Franz Josef Radermacher
Greta Thunberg’s phrase “How dare you?” resonated with many and particularly angered politicians who have long advocated for stronger climate action – from the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, through the Kyoto Protocol, to the Paris Agreement, and Germany’s Renewable Energy Act. From my perspective, the statement was a deliberate and well-calculated provocation. Substantively, it missed the mark, but that was intentional. Taken literally, it reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of the legal powers of the state representatives gathered in New York. Within their mandates, they have very limited authority to make decisions of real significance. Any bold action would still require ratification – for example, through parliamentary majorities – before it could become legally binding. If politicians were to step beyond these boundaries, they would be taking immense personal and political risks. They could be removed from office or even face legal consequences – including figures such as Chancellor Merkel. In that scenario, one could legitimately ask, “How dare you?” In practice, however, politicians take very few such risks. They operate within their legal powers and political mandates – and in this sense, they are acting responsibly.
Image source: Markus Spiske (Unsplash)