Greta Thunberg

Greta Tintin Eleonora Ernman Thunberg (born 3 January 2003) is a Swedish activist. She is known for telling governments to act on climate change and social issues.

In 2018, when she was only 15, Greta started a school strike alone outside the Swedish parliament. Her protest inspired many others, and it grew into the worldwide Fridays for Future movement.

As the movement grew, Greta became known around the world. She gave strong speeches, joined climate demonstrations in Europe and other places, and talked to leaders. People have written about her in news media everywhere. She has also spoken up for human rights and global justice, showing support for Ukraine, Palestine, Armenia, and Cuba. In 2025, she joined a humanitarian flotilla going to the Gaza Strip, which got a lot of attention.

Many believe Greta has made a big difference. They think she has helped more young people care about the environment and brought extra attention to climate issues. Some people disagree with her methods or how she talks about these topics. Whatever people think, Greta says her actions are based on science and plans for the future. She has received many honors for her work, including being named one of _Time's 100 Most Influential People and Person of the Year in 2019.

Early life

Greta Tintin Eleonora Ernman Thunberg was born on 3 January 2003, in Stockholm, Sweden. Her parents are opera singer Malena Ernman and actor Svante Thunberg. When she was eight, she learned about climate change and felt very worried. This made it hard for her to talk and eat sometimes. She was later diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, obsessive–compulsive disorder, and selective mutism.

Greta started asking her family to live in ways that helped the environment. She became vegan and gave up flying. These changes inspired her family to live differently too. She felt hopeful that she could make a difference. Her family’s story is in the book Scenes from the Heart.

Activism

In August 2018, Greta Thunberg started skipping school every Friday. She stood outside the Swedish parliament to ask the government to help protect the planet. This idea inspired students all over the world to do the same. Many joined what became called Fridays for Future.

Thunberg kept speaking about protecting the Earth. She talked to leaders at big meetings like the United Nations. She asked them to act quickly to stop climate change. Because of her work, she became a well-known voice in the global climate movement. She encouraged many young people to stand up for what is right.

Position on climate change

Greta Thunberg thinks that global warming is a big problem that could danger our future. She says that older people have changed the Earth's climate in ways that hurt younger people and those in the Global South, who have done the least to cause it. Thunberg talks strongly to leaders, telling them to take bigger steps to lower emissions and protect our planet.

She has criticized international agreements for not doing enough and has asked for quick action to cut emissions to zero. Thunberg says that leaders often set faraway goals but do not take real steps now. She has also spoken about events like the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, saying they often do not lead to real change. She believes that public pressure and strong action are needed to solve the climate crisis.

Public response and impact

Many teachers and scientists wrote a letter in February 2019 to support Thunberg and the school strikes for climate change. This support showed that many people agreed with her.

Thunberg has spoken with many world leaders, but she has said that none have truly impressed her. Some leaders, like New Zealand’s Jacinda Ardern and United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, have endorsed the school strikes. However, Thunberg has criticized leaders for not taking real action to reduce emissions. During the 2020 United States presidential election, several candidates, including Kamala Harris, Beto O’Rourke, and Bernie Sanders, expressed support for her. Some politicians, including Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, have criticized Thunberg. Despite this, many people admire her for bringing attention to the climate crisis.

Thunberg’s activism has had a big effect around the world. People often call this “the Greta effect.” Her speeches and actions have raised public awareness about climate change, especially among young people. After her speeches, many politicians have said they need to act more quickly on climate issues. In Europe, Green parties gained more support in elections, partly because of young people inspired by Thunberg. Books about climate change for children became more popular, and people started searching for climate-related topics online more often.

Thunberg also started a movement called “flight shame,” encouraging people to travel by train instead of flying to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In Sweden, this led to a drop in domestic air travel and an increase in rail use. Despite some unfair comments from others, Thunberg continues to speak out about the need to protect the environment.

In popular culture and art

Greta Thunberg has inspired many artists, writers, and musicians around the world. A book called Greta and the Giants, written by Zoë Tucker and Zoe Persico, tells a story inspired by her life. Artists have painted large murals of her in cities like San Francisco and Bristol. She was also featured on the cover of Time magazine and British Vogue.

Some musicians have used parts of her speeches in their songs and performances. For example, the band The 1975 included her voice in one of their tracks, and a documentary called I Am Greta followed her journey as an activist. These creative works help share her message about protecting our planet with many people.

Main article: I Am Greta

Honours and awards

Greta Thunberg has received many honours and awards for her work in raising awareness about climate change. In 2018, she won a climate change essay competition by Svenska Dagbladet and was named one of Time magazine’s 25 most influential teens. She has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize several times and received the Ambassador of Conscience Award from Amnesty International.

She has been honoured with many other awards, including Time’s Person of the Year in 2019—the youngest ever to receive this title—and several honorary doctorates from universities around the world. Several species, like a beetle and a spider, have been named after her.

Works

See also: Category:Works by Greta Thunberg

Greta Thunberg has created several works to share her message about climate change. In 2018, she published Scenes from the Heart with her sister, father, and mother. In 2019, she released a book titled No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference, which collects her speeches and donates all earnings to charity.

She has also given powerful talks. In 2021, she co-authored Our House Is on Fire: Scenes of a Family and a Planet in Crisis with her family members. Most recently, in 2022, she published The Climate Book, which explores many aspects of the climate crisis.