Andy, lets take this one point at a time. It may take a while.
//It would be ludicrous of me to say that I wouldn't believe what GT has said, simply because it is her saying it.//
Thank heavens for that.
//Rather more, the point is the other way around - I would not believe something simply because it is her saying it, but if it was backed up by a credible scientist, I would have no issue with GT reiterating the point.//
Many scientists support much of what she says.
//Which speaks directly to my problem with her.
GT is saying absolutely nothing that has not been said before - she does not have an original theory or thought in her damaged mind.//
I get that she is reiterating much that has already been said, but little action has been taken to solve it when it was previously stated. Her message strikes home to her own generation, many of whom are hearing it for the first time. She is the catalyst for them doing their own research into ecological issues to form their own conclusions.
//She repeats selected points made by scientists//
Well, you wanted credible scientists to back her in order to believe her. Now you have them.
//which are fed to her by her parents and advisors.//
Irrelevent if the information originally comes from the aforementioned scientists.
//The whole point of her is that- because she is a teenager and autistic, she is marketed as having some sort of new take on the concept of climate change, which chimes with her generation, whereas the reality is that all that differs from the credible scientists' delivery is that they are not seen as cool with a young audience.//
I wouldn't say it was a new take on climate change, just, as I mentioned before, talking to a new audience.
//If GT was bright enough to understand the pap she is fed, she would realise that judging the impact of Covid 19 as a 'child rights crisis' is utter nonsense, and she should refuse to utter those words.//
How do you know she isn't? This is where a lot of your argument falls down. You assume she doesn't understand what she preaches, but it's just that, an assumption. Yes she's young and she's autistic, I get that, but they are not necessarily negatives. The young are sponges, soaking up information and autism does strange things to the brain, sometimes retaining information beyond the capabilities of the average Joe. Using them as a rod to (metaphorically) beat her with is an easy score, but not necessarily a correct one.
As for her latest crusade, to help kids affected by C-19, I don't see her as making the pandemic a child rights issue, because of course it isn't. All she's doing is focusing her attention on the child orientated issues caused by C-19. She's not trying to solve the whole coronavirus crisis, just a small fraction of it.
//Because she is a teenager, she is happy to bask in undeserved attention for statements that are not hers, failing to understand the difference between potentially valid scientific information and rabble-rousing crap.//
Again, you have absolutely zero idea what she does and does not understand, it just fits your argument to portray her as unknowledgeable on the subjects she talks about. I have to assume (yes, I know. I'm doing it now) that UNICEF have their own facts and figures about the impact C-19 is having on young people, provided by highly knowledgeable experts in their firelds, and GT is basically acting as a spokesperson and public face of their action plan.
I don't see the issues people have with this.