INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Donald Trump has attacked climate activists in front of Greta Thunberg as he revealed the US is signing up to a project to plant one
trillion treesIn a speech in Davos, Switzerland, the US president called those calling for more action on climate change "perennial prophets
of doom" and the "heirs of yesterday's foolish fortune tellers".Teenage activist Thunberg was among those watching Mr Trump at the event,
having earlier warned that planting trees is "nowhere near enough".Image:Greta Thunberg was in the audience to watch the US presidentIt
comes after Mr Trump unilaterally pledged to withdraw the US from the Paris Climate Accord, which aimed to cut CO2 emissions to a rate that
will limit global warming to 1.5C.He made his comments at the World Economic Forum in Davos after its founder Klaus Schwab made climate
change a key topic.To applause, Mr Trump told the forum: "Today I'm pleased to announce the United States will join the one trillion trees
initiative being launched here.Thunberg calls out 'empty words' at Davos"And in doing so we will continue to show strong leadership in
restoring, growing and better managing our trees and our forests."This is not a time for pessimism
This is a time for optimism
Fear and doubt is not a good thought process because this is a time for tremendous hope and joy, optimism and action."But to embrace the
possibilities of tomorrow we must reject the perennial prophets of doom and their predictions of the apocalypse
They are the heirs of yesterday's foolish fortune tellers."His words came in stark contrast to those of 17-year-old Thunberg, who spoke
earlier on the first full day of the forum about the "crisis" she said was occurring.The Swedish teenager told delegates: "Planting trees is
good of course but it's nowhere near enough
It cannot replace mitigation."She accused leaders of "cheating and fiddling around with numbers" by talking about cutting emissions to
net-zero and added that her calls for more action were based on science, not on irrational fears."My generation will not give up without a
fight," she said.Mr Schwab had earlier outlined his plans to launch a scheme to plant a trillion trees using public and private funds by the
end of this decade.The idea was not new and a number of organisations and activists have already been promoting the idea for some
years.Image:Thunberg spoke at a session during the World Economic ForumExperts say the number of trees on the planet has declined from its
previous high of six trillion to its current three trillion, so replanting one trillion would go some way to offsetting the carbon emitted
into the atmosphere by industrialised nations.Mr Trump's pledge to join the project, however, was a deviation from the main theme of his
speech in which he claimed US economic success since he came to office - something he said had been achieved as a result of
deregulation.While claiming to be a "big believer in the environment" and wanting "the cleanest water and the cleanest air", he spoke with
pride about the expansion of US oil and gas production.Most ecologists believe more controls on industry and a sharp reduction in oil and
gas use are required if carbon emissions are to be cut to a level that will limit climate change.Nobel prize winning economist Joseph
Stiglitz told Reuters afterwards he found Mr Trump's comments "astounding", adding it was "As if what we are seeing with our eyes are not
