Greta Thunberg uses viral Barbie trend to protest new oil and gas project

The proposed Rosebank project, if approved, is expected to produce up to 500 million barrels of oil with a consequent catastrophic impact on the environment.

Climate activist Greta Thunberg has used a viral Barbie trend to protest the development of Rosebank’s oil and gas field.

The proposed Rosebank project, if approved, is expected to produce up to 500 million barrels of oil. However, its impact on the environment could be devastating.

The 20-year-old joined other demonstrators outside of UK Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps’ office in London to protest the government’s ongoing plans to develop the unused Rosebank oil and gas field.

The demonstrators recreated a scene from the Barbie movie where Margot Robbie’s stereotypical character has a big blowout party at her house but is overcome with existential thoughts of death

In the video posted on Stop Cambo’s Instagram page, a campaign dedicated to stopping new oil and gas extraction, Thunberg is shown mouthing the same words from the scene in which Barbie asks, “Do you guys ever think about dying?”

The text overlay has the 20-year-old Swede ask: “Do you guys ever think about the climate crisis?”

Similar to the movie scene, the question leads to an awkward pause and the camera pans to other demonstrators while the video’s text on-screen reads the names of UK Ministers Schnapp and Rishi Sunak, along with Norwegian oil company Equinor.

A post shared by Stop Cambo #StopRosebank (@stopcambo)

The caption alongside the video reads: “For a safe climate and affordable energy, richer countries like the UK must stop expanding oil and gas production. But UK ministers @rishisunakmp, @grantshapps and oil giant @equinor want to open the massive Rosebank oil field. This one project would produce more CO2 than the world’s 28 poorest countries do in a year. We can stop it.”

A caption on another video on the account featuring Thunberg and the demonstrators stresses why projects like Rosebank will tip the climate crisis beyond human control

“When the emissions of CO2 are still on the rise during an escalating climate emergency, rich countries like the UK and Norway cannot even be considering opening up any more fossil fuel projects,” the caption reads.

“Meanwhile, oil & gas companies are making record-breaking profits by causing record-breaking temperatures across the world.“A massive oil field like Rosebank is simply a slap in the face to the millions already suffering the consequences of the climate crisis. Adding new reserves, like Rosebank, will push us closer to passing potential tipping points beyond human control. It would blow through our already flawed climate targets.”

Thunberg even spoke about the issue in an interview with Channel 4. She said: “The fact that the UK Government is even considering this tells us exactly how out of touch with reality they are. All the record-breaking heat waves and the extreme weather events we’ve seen during the summer is just the beginning of a rapidly escalating existential crisis.”

Online reaction

The viral video has drawn a lot of attention and netizens praised Thunberg for her climate activism.

“Exactly the way Barbie marketing was supposed to be used for,” wrote one user.

“This Barbie cares about the climate,” added another.

A third commented: “Best message delivery! Way to go @gretathunberg !!”

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