Study Guide: Greta Thunberg
Greta Thunberg, Warrior for the Future
Greta Thunberg, born 3 January 2003, is a Swedish environmental activist who has challenged those in entrenched positions of power to take immediate action against climate change.
You have stolen my dreams and my childhood.
Greta gained notice for her youth and her straightforward speaking manner, in which she criticizes well-positioned public employees for their failure to take what sufficient action to address the looming climate crisis.
Efforts
Greta’s activism started after convincing her parents to adopt several lifestyle choices to reduce their own carbon footprint. In August 2018, at age 15, she began spending her school days outside the Swedish Parliament to call for stronger action on climate change by holding up a sign reading Skolstrejk för klimatet (School strike for climate). Soon, other students engaged in similar protests in their own communities. Together, they organized a school climate strike movement under the name Fridays for Future.
"All we have to do is wake up and change."
Since Thunberg addressed the 2018 United Nations Climate Change Conference, student strikes have taken place every week in many places around the world. In 2019, there were multiple coordinated multi-city protests involving over a million students each.
To avoid flying, Greta sailed to North America where she attended the 2019 UN Climate Action Summit. Her speech there, in which she exclaimed “how dare you”, was a challenge heard around the world.
Her rise to world fame has made her both an inspiration for many and a target for those who are threatened by her message. Her influence on the world stage has been sensationalized by The Guardian and other newspapers as the “Greta effect”.
Recognition
Greta has received numerous honors and awards including:
- Honorary Fellowship of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society
- Time’s 100 Most Influential People
- The youngest Time Person of the Year
- Forbes, The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women (2019)
- Nomination for Nobel Peace Prize (2019)
- Nomination for Nobel Peace Prize (2020)
The Climate Clock