Swedish teen activist Greta Thunberg on Friday accused world leaders of ignoring the climate emergency and "sweeping their mess under the rug".
"Our leaders behave like children so it falls to us to be the adults in the room. They are failing us but we will not back down," the 17-year-old said as she addressed some 20,000 people at the Bristol Youth Strike 4 Climate (BY24C) event.
She said "it should not be this way", but the "uncomfortable truth" was being swept "under the rug" for "children to clean up".
Thunberg warned world leaders she will "not be silenced when the world is on fire".
She accused politicians of ignoring the climate emergency and "sweeping their mess under the rug", the BBC quoted her as saying.
"Our leaders behave like children so it falls to us to be the adults in the room. They are failing us but we will not back down," she told the crowds who were chanting "Greta, Greta".
"Activism works so I'm telling you to act," she said. "We are being betrayed by those in power."