Barack Obama urges young people to 'stay angry' in fight against climate change
November 9, 2021, 2:06 am

Barack Obama urges young people to 'stay angry' in fight against climate change

Barack Obama-Former US president/Pixabay

The BBC reported, Barack Obama has called on young people to "stay angry" in the fight against climate change at the COP26 summit.

It mentioned that the former US president urged them to apply political pressure to make a change, but warned they would need to accept compromises along the way.

Mr Obama said the world is "nowhere near where we need to be" to avoid a future climate catastrophe.

He criticised Donald Trump's "active hostility toward climate science", but said the US is ready to lead again.

Mr Obama also scolded China and Russia's leaders for not physically attending the COP26 summit.

He called out nations for failing to meet the pledges they made in the 2015 Paris Agreement, when he was in the White House.

However, activists were quick to point out those broken by his own administration, including the failure of a key promise by developed countries to deliver $100bn (£73bn) a year in climate finance to poorer nations.

Mr Obama dedicated much of his speech to young activists, who he said were "right to be frustrated".

Addressing young people directly, he said they "can't ignore politics" and that while protesting and hashtags raise awareness, they should get involved in politics at some level.

"You don't have to be happy about it, but you can't ignore it. You can't be too pure for ."

Referencing his own daughters' shopping habits, he also called on young people to support businesses that were committed to sustainability, and boycott those that were not.

Obama's catchphrase of the night was telling young activists to "stay angry".

He said: "To all the young people out there - I want you to stay angry. I want you to stay frustrated."

"But channel that anger. Harness that frustration. Keep pushing harder and harder for more and more. Because that's what's required to meet that challenge. Gird yourself for a marathon, not a sprint."

He honoured the dedication of activists such as Greta Thunberg who are "forming movements across borders", and urged young people to at least get out and vote for politicians who will stand against climate change.

He said: "Vote like your life depends on it, because it does."

The former president insisted that despite political divisions in the US and the country's absence from global climate efforts for four years during the Trump administration, America was now back on track and committed to change.

Mr Obama made a number of comments about his predecessor, Republican Donald Trump, who once called climate change "an expensive hoax" and controversially pulled out of the Paris climate accord when he took office. The US rejoined it under Joe Biden.

Mr Obama reserved some of his strongest criticism for the Republican Party. He accused its members of stalling progress by "sitting on the sidelines" and making climate change a partisan issue with "four years of active hostility toward climate science".

He said Republicans who take climate change seriously are "a rare breed right now." This is the first year a delegation of Republicans has attended a UN climate summit.

Mr Obama also blamed the pandemic, rise of US nationalism and a lack of cooperation from the Trump administration for a breakdown in international relations that has affected the climate crisis.

Taking a swipe at Russia and China, Mr Obama also said it was "particularly discouraging" that the leaders of "two of world's largest emitters" had not attended the climate summit in person.

While more than 120 leaders turned up at the conference, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, who have both avoided international travel since the start of the pandemic, opted to take part remotely instead.

Mr Obama said they were showing a "dangerous lack of urgency".

The 44th US president closed by telling the crowd that fighting climate change will be hard and messy with "every victory incomplete".

"The thing we have going for us is that humanity has done hard things before," he said, adding: "I believe we can do hard things again."

Source: BBC

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.