GRETA THUNBERG'S SPEECH POWER IN UN CLIMATE ACTION SUMMIT 2019: A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS

Behind the fact that youth voices and movements have a powerful effect on public, studies on their concern for environmental problems seem to be lacking. This study aims to reveal the power content of Greta Thunberg's speech to world leaders at the UN Climate Action Summit 2019. This is a critical discourse analysis design research with qualitative data based on CDA Socio-cognitive approach. The source of data was the speech of Greta Thunberg at UN Climate Action Summit 2019 with its words, phrases, and sentences illustrating the power content as the main data. The data were analyzed based on Van Dijk’ socio cognitive aspects and three power indicators of individual imposition, vision confirmation/transformation and strategic situation. The finding of this study indicated that the power was represented through the language Greta used in her speech. The topics with power content found were climate change issue, children as future hope, press world leaders, and children movement.

Keywords: critical discourse analysis, socio-cognitive, power, climate change.