Arnold Schwarzenegger brands leaders who prioritise cash over climate ‘stupid or liars’

Schwarzenegger also urged consumers to buy local to combat carbon generated by shipping

Hollywood star Arnold Schwarzenegger has slammed leaders who claim fighting the climate crisis hurts the economy as "stupid or liars".

The former governor of California claimed the state’s wealth and job creation proves carbon dioxide reduction does not affect economic success – and can in fact help the global economy.

The Terminator actor told the BBC: "They are liars, they are stupid. Or they don’t know how to do it, because we figured how to do it and it’s all about having the balls to do it.”

Since leaving political office in 2011, the Austrian-American actor has devoted time to environmental causes. As a Republican, he sparred with former President Donald Trump over climate issues.

Speaking just ahead of the Cop26 climate summit, Schwarzenegger also took aim at the air pollution and greenhouse gases generated by shipping and urged consumers to shop local.

He said: "Buy local products. Every time you buy something from overseas, that is evil for the environment - this is like the worst thing you can do."

The Terminator star says humans can ‘terminate’ climate change (Orion/Kobal/Shutterstock)

During his tenure as governor of California, Schwarzenegger worked to pass the Global Warming Solutions Act to cut emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, as well as other renewable energy and low carbon initiatives.

After leaving office in 2011, he continued to promote state and local clean energy efforts by campaigning and through the work of the Schwarzenegger Institute at the University of Southern California.

At the Austrian World Summit earlier this year, Schwarzenegger argued that the public perceives the environmental movement as being “stuck in despair and confusion,” and using language that goes over people’s heads.

He argued that activists need to zero in on one message: “Pollution is enemy number one... it is the very thing that causes climate change.”

“Humans can solve it — we can kill it, we can terminate it,” he said.