Introduction
In her speech, which was delivered at the U.N. Climate Summit in New York in 2019, Greta Thunberg effectively employs the rhetorical appeals of ethos, pathos, and logos to convey her message about the urgency of climate change and the failure of world leaders to take meaningful action.
Ethos
Thunberg establishes her ethos by positioning herself as a credible and knowledgeable speaker on the issue of climate change. She mentions her role as a young person and her commitment to attending school, which emphasizes her dedication to education and her understanding of the scientific consensus on climate change: “I shouldn’t be up here. I should be back in school on the other side of the ocean” (NPR, 2019). She also challenges the authority of the leaders present and positions herself as a representative of the voiceless generation.
Pathos
Thunberg’s use of pathos is potent throughout her speech. She appeals to the emotions of the audience by expressing her personal frustration and anger. Phrases such as “How dare you!” and “You have stolen my dreams and my childhood” evoke anger and sadness, creating a sense of urgency and moral obligation (NPR, 2019). By highlighting the suffering and death caused by climate change, she appeals to the empathy of the audience, urging them to take immediate action.
Logos
In addition, Thunberg employs logos to provide logical and scientific evidence to support her claims. By mentioning specific figures, such as the remaining CO2 budget and the time frame within which action must be taken, she presents a logical argument for the situation’s urgency (NPR, 2019). Thunberg also highlights the insufficiency of current proposed solutions, using logic to debunk the notion that business as usual and technical solutions alone will solve the crisis.
Conclusion
Thus, Thunberg weaves these concepts together by using her ethos to establish credibility, her pathos to appeal to the audience’s emotions, and her logos to provide logical evidence.
Reference
NPR. (2019). Transcript: Greta Thunberg’s speech at the U.N. Climate Action Summit. Web.