UK’s Johnson tells world to ‘grow up’ and fight climate change

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday told the world to “grow up” and take climate change seriously during an address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

“We must show that we are capable of learning and maturing and finally taking responsibility for the destruction we are inflicting, not just upon our planet, but upon ourselves. It’s time for humanity to grow up,” Johnson said, according to Reuters.

He also urged people to “listen to the warnings of the scientists,” adding that the COVID-19 pandemic is “an example of gloomy scientists being proved right,” CNN reported.

Johnson’s comments come ahead of the U.N. Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland, that begins Oct. 31. 

“We have an awesome power to change things and to change things for the better, and an awesome power to save ourselves,” Johnson said.

“My friends, the adolescence of humanity is coming to an end and must come to an end,” he said.

Johnson also offered praise to China and the U.S. for some of their climate commitments made at the U.N. this week.

But he added, “We must go further and we must go far faster. We need all countries, every single one of you to step up.”