Zac Goldsmith ‘runs away’ from 11-year-old climate activist

Zac Goldsmith ‘ran away’ from an 11-year-old climate activist at COP27 who asked him when the government will release jailed climate protesters. Licypriya Kangujam confronted the environment minister at the summit in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, but was less than happy with his response.As the video shows, she tracked down Lord Goldsmith and asked him: ‘When are you going to release the climate activists your government arrested for protesting against new oil and gas licences?’When he started to walk away Licypriya followed him.Licypriya said: ‘Instead of answering my questions, he ran away. But I followed him for a couple of minutes and asked him repeatedly when will [they] be released? What day? What time? Etc.’She says a civil servant pushed her away twice and intervened to stop the discussion and even closed the door to stop her.The founder of global justice group The Child Movement says he later told her that he had no idea about when they will be released and that climate activists should not be arrested for peaceful protests.She added: ‘My question to him is that if he can do nothing then why is he a minister and why is he coming to COP27?’I heard in the news that many climate activists are put in jail and they are getting arrested every day in the UK. ‘Climate activists never use violence. We are always peaceful. ‘They even arrested journalists, photographers and filmmakers who are covering the protests.’READ MORE: Just Stop Oil protester in car video slated as ‘extremist hypocrite’The founder of global justice group The Child Movement says he later told her that he had no idea about when they will be released and that climate activists should not be arrested for peaceful protests.She added: ‘My question to him is that if he can do nothing then why is he a minister and why is he coming to COP27?’I heard in the news that many climate activists are put in jail and they are getting arrested every day in the UK. ‘Climate activists never use violence. We are always peaceful. ‘They even arrested journalists, photographers and filmmakers who are covering the protests.’Are they violent too? This is unacceptable. This is not fair.’They blame climate activists for blocking the roads. Coming out on the streets is the last option available for us if they don’t listen to our voices.’Arresting climate activists is not the solution. They have to address the core issues of climate crisis instead of arresting them.’We need to keep speaking up about the climate crisis and need to hold lawmakers accountable for their political decisions.’DON’T MISSWorld hits 8bn people as countries with biggest populations unveiled [REPORT]Rishi Sunak urged to ‘immediately’ scrap heat pump payment scheme [INSIGHT]Inside energy lifeline plans to bring huge storage plant to UK by 2024 [EXPLAINER]Eco protest group Extinction Rebellion and Lord Goldsmith exchanged angry words on Twitter after the video emerged.Extinction Rebellion said the 47-year-old politician owes young people like Licypria an answer and said the civil servant who ‘pushed an indigenous 11-year-old away for asking a question owes an apology’.In response, Lord Goldsmith tweeted: ‘What bullies you are. She did nothing of the sort as the video shows. She couldn’t have been gentler.  But I’ll tell you what she does do: works relentlessly-at a fraction what she’d earn elsewhere-fighting to protect nature. & she succeeds. You should thank her & then apologise.’Speaking at COP27 last week, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak urged world leaders to move ‘faster and faster’ in transitioning to renewable energy.Last year, at COP26, they committed to prevent global temperature rises to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels.But the World Meteorological Organisation has since warned that the 1.5C target is “barely within reach”.Lord Goldsmith has been approached for comment.