Greta Thunberg is a 16 year old Swedish environmental activist passionate about climate change. She got recognition in August 2018 when she started a school strike for the climate outside the Swedish Parliament. Unsurprisingly, she is vegan, and has never flown on a plane and is against anything that relates to her affecting the environment.   

She first gained recognition two summers ago. After skipping school, she went to sit outside the Swedish parliament with a homemade banner that said “Skolstrejk för klimatet” which translates to school strike for climate. This protest has spread to more than 70 countries around the world. 

Her first climate movement was called “Fridays for Future”.  Earlier this fall, every Friday, millions of people walked out of school and work, calling political officials to take action against climate change. Hundreds of thousands of students and workers have protested in countries like Australia, Thailand, Germany, and the UK, and other protests are still expected to continue around the world. 

Thunberg has received criticism for forcing her parents to lower their carbon use and influence on the environment by being vegan, upcycling, and stop flying. It has also come to the extent that her mother had to give up her successful career as an opera singer. Her campaign has been criticised by the biggest politicians in the world like Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, President of Russia Vladimir Putin, US president Donald Trump and other popular politicians.

Thunberg has spoken at climate rallies in European landmarks like Stockholm, Helsinki, Brussels, and London. In December 2018, she attended the United Nations COP24 in Poland, where she addressed the Secretary General and made a speech that went viral. The following year, she was invited to the world economic forum in Davos, Switzerland where her influencing speeches again, shocked the world.

For her contributions to helping the climate, she has received seven awards in 2019. The most notable honors are the International Children’s Peace Prize, which is an annual award to a child who has made contributions to advocating children’s rights, which she has done with the many rallies and speeches she has done. Time Magazine has named her as one of the 100 most influential people of 2019, with the likes of Taylor Swift and Michelle Obama. She has also earned many other awards relating to her affecting human rights.

The young Swedish activist plans to keep enforcing rights supporting climate change through her highly populated rallies, influential speeches across Europe, and through other ways by not damaging the environment.