Earth Day 2021: Climate activists dump manure on Biden White House as Greta hits out with Twitter bio

Follow the latest updates on day of global environmental talks

Extension Rebellion put noses out of joint across both sides of the pond on Earth Day. While the climate activists were smashing windows on Canary Wharf in London others were dropping off, well, droppings, as they dumped wheel barrels full of methane-emitting cow poop near the White House to protest Joe Biden’s “bullshit” climate plan.

As Earth Day 2021 was observed around the world, climate activist Greta Thunberg taking aim at both the US and the UK. She told the US House Oversight Committee in Washington, DC, that fossil fuel subsidies are “a disgrace”, while taking an apparant dig at prime minister Boris Johnson for supporting carbon reductions as not some “politically-correct green act of bunny-hugging”.

White House climate envoy John Kerry denounced former president Donald Trump for withdrawing the US from the landmark Paris treaty, which the former Secretary of State signed in 2015.

The GOP, meanwhile, said the Biden administration’s “zeal for costly climate policy” will destroy jobs and industry in the US while competitors like China won’t be bound by the “toothless” Paris climate agreements.

Prince Harry remembered his late grandfather as a "conservation champion" in a message for Earth Day, and said he was proud to continue that work with his organization African Parks.

"I reflect on generations of conservation champions, including my late grandfather, and feel proud and energised to continue doing my part in this legacy," he said.

While the prince was paying tribute to the late Duke of Edinburgh, world leaders were doing the opposite to the former president of the United States.

German Chancellor began her comments at the White House climate summit with a not-so-subtle dig at Trump, who pulled the US out of the Paris Climate Accords in 2020.

“I’m delighted to see that the United States is back, is back to work together with us in climate politics," she said.

• Greta Thunberg urges US Congress to ‘use your common sense’ on climate crisis
• Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro points finger at developed countries for historic fossil-fuel burning
• Biden to cut US carbon emissions by half of 2005 levels by 2030
• Elon Musk trolled with giant billboard saying ‘Mars Sucks’
• Extinction Rebellion activists smash HSBC windows
• Five ways to help save the planet
• The ‘revenge of nature’ in fiction, from Day of the Triffids to Godzilla

Key Points

• Extension Rebellion protests in DC a little on the nose
• ‘Bunny hugger’ Greta Thunberg owns ‘Bunny hugger’ in Twitter bio
• John Kerry criticises Trump for pulling out of Paris accord ‘without any facts, without any science’
• Mitch McConnell says Biden will kill US industries for ‘toothless’ Paris climate goals
• GOP governors question Biden’s executive order that could acquire land for conservation

[22 April 2021 05:59 · Stuti Mishra]

Welcome!

Good morning and welcome toThe Independent’s live coverage of Earth Day 2021, where we’ll be keeping you up to date on Joe Biden’s virtual climate summit from the White House and all other news of climate action taking place around the world.

Here’s Emma Snaith with everything you need to know about the world’s largest secular observance.

[22 April 2021 06:48 · Stuti Mishra]

Five ways to help save the planet

With the pandemic raging, this year’s Earth Day will look a little different to previous years.

The theme for 2021’s day of observance is “Restore Our Earth”, with participants urged to focus not only on how we can reduce our impact on the planet but also on how we might actively repair the world’s fragile ecosystems.

Are you looking for ways to take part in Earth Day this year? Here, The Independent offers some ideas for tackling the climate crisis on 22 April - or any other day of the year. 

[22 April 2021 06:54 · Stuti Mishra]

How much do you know about climate change?

Earth Day 2021 is upon us, with the need for unified action to address the climate emergency more urgent than ever.

But how much do you know about the threat posed by global warming? Take our quiz below.

[22 April 2021 07:12 · Stuti Mishra]

Boris Johnson to warn world leaders not to throw away chance to protect the planet

Delivering the opening address at Joe Biden’s climate summit, British prime minister Boris Johnson is expected to warn world leaders not to “throw away the chance to preserve our planet”.

Unless they “get serious” now about global warming, the current generation of leaders will be remembered for failing to protect the earth against rising temperatures, Johnson will say.

Speaking days after he announced a new target for cutting UK carbon emissions by 78 per cent from 1990 levels by 2035, the PM will tell his counterparts that they need to commit to equally ambitious goals by the time of the Cop26 summit in Glasgow in November in order to limit the rate of the global temperature rise to 1.5C.

Read details below.

[22 April 2021 08:09 · Joe Sommerlad]

Everything you need to know about Biden’s White House summit

All eyes today will be on US president Joe Biden, who is leading a two-day virtual summit of 40 world leaders from countries that, collectively, account for 80 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Here’s Louise Boyle on what we can expect.

[22 April 2021 08:15 · Joe Sommerlad]

Extinction Rebellion activists smash windows at HSBC headquarters in Canary Wharf

Woah, here’s a dramatic start to the day.

The Earth Day protest was staged to draw attention to the banking giant’s links to the fossil fuel industry, activists said.

Nine women took part in the protest, wearing patches with the words “better broken windows than broken promises” in reference to the Suffragette movement of the early 20th century.

In a statement, the group said: “Despite HSBCs pledge to shrink its carbon footprint to net zero by 2050, their current climate plan still allows the bank to finance coal power, and provides no basis to turn away clients or cancel contracts based on links to the fossil fuel industry.”

Here’s the very latest.

[22 April 2021 08:35 · Joe Sommerlad]

Antonio Guterres: ‘Our planet is at a tipping point’

This year’s theme for Earth Day is “Restore Earth”, with the UN’s secretary-general seizing the moment to issue a video message reminding people the planet is at “a tipping point” and saying that the pause the Covid-19 pandemic has given society “is a chance to set the world on a cleaner, greener, more sustainable path”.

He has also been writing for The Independent, calling on the world’s wealthiest countries to help out developing nations in reducing emissions for the greater good.

[22 April 2021 08:55 · Joe Sommerlad]

Ask The Independent’s climate correspondent your questions about the White House leaders’ summit

Our own Louise Boyle is conducting an AMA event tomorrow answering your queries about the environmental crisis and Joe Biden’s gathering of heads of state to try to secure bolder commitments towards addressing it.

You can find all the details you need below.

[22 April 2021 09:16 · Joe Sommerlad]

Extinction Rebellion activists arrested over bank demonstration

Here’s the latest from Canary Wharf:

[22 April 2021 09:35 · Joe Sommerlad]

Ban Ki-moon urges leaders at US climate summit ‘to leave no one behind'

We’ve already heard from Antonio Guterres, now here’s his predecessor.

Ban Ki-moon’s open letter in The Independent congratulates President Biden on convening his summit but urges him to ensure no nation is left behind in the fight for the planet’s future.