I don't like this article because it is basically a strawman argument.

The writer tries to argue a point that nobody is making. Climate activists aren't suggesting we should stop 'growth and development'. Climate activists want governments to pass effective climate regulations.

There will always be dumb/uninformed/ignorant people out there. some of them will call themselves climate activists and ask you a dumb question at a lecture, but this doesn't say anything about the group of climate activists as a whole.

Second of all, I hope you realise that climate activism isn't some sort of subculture or something. It's not a homogeneous blob of people who all think and feel alike. The only common denominator is that they are active about campaigning for climate regulation.