Dalai Lama Throws Down Hard on Climate Change, Urging Action, Encouraging Youth Protest

(EnviroNews World News) — His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama is known for his outspoken candor on a multitude of issues including compassion, inner peace, and maintaining strength through adversity. But on December 5, 2019, he Tweeted a call-to-action, supporting youth climate protestors, and imploring his followers to help protect the planet on which we all live.

“Taking care of our planet is a matter of looking after our own home. We can no longer exploit the earth’s resources — the trees, water, air, and minerals — with no care for the coming generations. I support young people’s protests at governments’ inaction over the climate crisis,” the Dalai Lama’s Tweet read.

Taking care of our planet, is a matter of looking after our own home. We can no longer exploit the earth’s resources—the trees, water, air and minerals—with no care for the coming generations. I support young people’s protests at governments’ inaction over the climate crisis.

— Dalai Lama (@DalaiLama) December 5, 2019

The replies in the comment thread were mixed. Blogger and climate change-denier Tom Nelson replied, “Again, Dalai, there is no climate crisis. You’re being used by people who have lied to you. Catastrophic anthropogenic global warming is the most massive scientific fraud in human history.” Nelson has more than 26,000 followers including the Acting Director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), William Perry Pendley.

Again, Dalai, there is no climate crisis.

You’re being used by people who have lied to you.

Catastrophic anthropogenic global warming is the most massive scientific fraud in human history.

— Tom Nelson (@tan123) December 5, 2019

Twitter user @Blunted_Buddha offered a one-word solution to the world’s problems: “hemp.” Replying to @DalaiLama, @Blunted_Buddha wrote, “The answer is hemp. Hemp cleans the soil, takes CO2 out of the air, can replace plastic, replace paper from trees, and can be used as a fuel. Hemp = sustainability and kindness to the Earth.”

The answer is hemp.

Hemp cleans the soil, takes CO2 out of the air, can replace plastic, replace paper from trees, and can be used as a fuel.

Hemp = sustainability and kindness to the Earth.

— Blunted_Buddha (@Buddha_Blunted) December 6, 2019

Many other responses were in support of the Dalai Lama’s climate crisis message. Devon Jarvis replied to the Dalai Lama from Pattaya City, Thailand, Tweeting, “Well said! I believe that we can become more united through our efforts and come out stronger on the other side! #ClimateChangeIsReal”

Well said! I believe that we can become more united through our efforts and come out stronger on the other side! #ClimateChangeIsReal

— devin jarvis (@devinjarvis) December 5, 2019

This isn’t the first time His Holiness has Tweeted about the environment or climate change. On December 6, 2018, he posted, “Climate change is not the concern of just one or two nations. It is an issue that affects the whole of humanity and every living being on this earth.”

“Climate change is not the concern of just one or two nations. It is an issue that affects the whole of humanity and every living being on this earth.” (From HHDL’s Message to Delegates to the COP24 UN Climate Conference https://t.co/GEbUIOEPIl)

— Dalai Lama (@DalaiLama) December 6, 2018

The 84-year-old spiritual leader joined Twitter in 2009. He posts messages and videos to more than 19 million followers nearly every day. The message about taking care of our planet generated hundreds of comments, 66,000 “likes,” and about 20,000 retweets.