Evening Standard comment: Greta’s visit to Davos can help bring change | Root out cheating schools | Harry is a force for good

The dangers of climate change are firmly at the top of the agenda at the World Economic Forum in Davos today, with the delivery of a powerful speech from activist Greta Thunberg and the arrival of President Donald Trump, a man whose actions could have a critical impact on determining the future of the planet.

Ms Thunberg’s message , conveyed to other political and business leaders before Mr Trump’s arrival, was that “basically nothing has been done” to address what she understandably sees as a climate emergency, and that only if the situation is treated as a “real crisis” will the necessary action be taken.

Mr Trump, of course, remains sceptical, but would do well to heed the words of the Swedish teenager, and listen more to the scientists whose research points overwhelmingly to the prescience of her warning.

Even if Mr Trump stays deaf to the evidence, there are encouraging signs from Davos that the need for change is being recognised in boardrooms and corridors of power elsewhere.

To begin with, all the companies attending have been asked to commit to achieving zero net carbon emissions by 2050 and consider trying to hit the target 20 years earlier.

The summit organisers have made “How to save the planet” a key theme — hence the invitation to Ms Thunberg to speak — and attendees will also be hearing from other prominent environmentalists, including the former US vice-president Al Gore.

All flights into the summit are being offset too, in a further sign of awareness of the need for business to be greener.

The danger is that too much of this turns out to be corporate window-dressing, rather than a sign of a lasting determination to address rising global temperatures in a meaningful way.

Let’s hope that’s not the case.

Environmental activists have a valuable role to play, but change can ultimately only come if business and governments invest in and adopt green technologies and more efficient processes that can deliver environmentally sustainable growth.

It’s not too late and the positive noises coming from Davos should be welcomed.

Root out cheating schools

There is a disturbing warning today by the education watchdog Ofsted about the way in which a minority of schools are using “off-rolling” — the practice of removing a pupil without formal exclusion — and other unsavoury methods to improve their standing in league tables.

Such conduct, which also includes entering pupils for easier exams than they are capable of, is frankly disgraceful, not least because, as Ofsted’s commendably plain-speaking chief inspector Amanda Spielman points out, those affected are most often disadvantaged children who need every assistance they can get.

Ms Spielman says, stating the obvious — which should be apparent to every head — that pupils from poorer backgrounds deserve a “proper, substantial and broad education” that allows them to develop their talents. She’s right but it’s deplorable it needs saying.

Narrowing pupils’ education, or conniving to keep them out of class, is unacceptable.

Children of all backgrounds, as the Evening Standard's campaign to drive down formal exclusions has highlighted, should be kept in school and taught a rounded curriculum.

Governors, heads and ministers must ensure this happens everywhere and root out those who are letting pupils down.

Harry is a force for good

Prince Harry has arrived in Canada to be reunited with his wife Meghan and baby Archie, with events in support of his charity Sentebale — which helps young people affected by HIV in Lesotho and Botswana — already in his diary.

It’s proof that in their new roles he and Meghan can still be a force for good.

We wish them well.

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Trump v Thunberg as activist says 'nothing being done' on environment