Greta Thunberg is a 19-year-old Swedish student who, in August 2018, started protesting for action to be taken on climate change outside the Swedish parliament. Her actions have inspired many others around the world to do the same, and she has quickly become one of the most well-known faces of the climate change movement.
Thunberg began her protests after reading a UN report which found that the world only had 12 years to take action on climate change before the effects would become irreversible. Shocked and angry, she decided to take action herself. She started by skipping school every Friday to protest outside the parliament building, holding up a sign that said “School strike for climate”. Her actions quickly gained attention, both in Sweden and internationally. She has since been invited to speak at numerous events, including the UN Climate Change Conference and the World Economic Forum. In September 2019, she led a worldwide “climate strike”, in which millions of people around the world joined her in skipping school or work to protest for action on climate change.
Thunberg is a passionate and eloquent speaker, and she has quickly become one of the most recognizable faces of the climate change movement. She has been praised by many, including high-profile figures such as Pope Francis and former US president Barack Obama. However, she has also faced criticism from some, who argue that her actions are disruptive and that she is too young to understand the complexities of the issue.
Regardless of the critics, Thunberg’s actions have inspired many people around the world to take action on climate change, and she shows no signs of stopping anytime soon.
