Who Is Greta Thunberg? Here Are 5 Interesting Facts About The Swedish Environmental Activist

Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg, who recently turned 18, took a dig at climate change deniers in a social media post, in which she also thanked all those who have wished her on her birthday. "Tonight you will find me down at the local pub exposing all the dark secrets behind the climate- and school strike conspiracy and my evil handlers who can no longer control me! I am free at last!!"

 

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The young environmentalist is as much known for her strong words against climate change deniers and inaction of global leaders, as much she is for her cheeky humour.

Also Read: Author Mridula Ramesh On How Climate Change Is Fatal for Women

Thungberg's journey as an activist started in 2018. At the age of 15, she demanded that stronger steps need to be taken towards climate change. Very soon, she received the support of other students.

Greta Thunberg and her fellow mates organised a school climate strike movement called Fridays For Future. Student strikes took place all over the world after Thunberg addressed the United Nations Climate Change Conference, 2018. In 2019, she attended the UN Climate Action Summit where she didn't mince her words while calling out politicians over their inaction regarding climate change. "How dare you" she had famously said, a phrase that conveyed her anger and frustration. Read more about her compassionate speech here.

Here are five interesting facts about the Swedish environmental activist

• In February last year UK media regulator Ofcom recognised the activist's influence on young people all over the world as the "Greta Effect" which has led to the engagement of more children in online activism in 2019, as compared to previous years. According to Ofcom, almost a fifth of social media users between the ages 12 to 15 use the medium to express their support to environmental, political and charitable causes and organisations online.
• The Swedish Environmental activist is the recipient of several awards. In 2019, she received Frit Ord Award, Rachel Carson Prize, Ambassador of Conscience Award, Right Livelihood Award,  International Children's Peace Prize and was also named TIME Person of the Year. Greta declined the Nordic Council Environmental Prize in order the protest the lack of climate action. In 2020, she won the Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity. Thunberg also received the Doctor honoris causa, an Honorary Doctoral Degree, from the University of Mons in Belgium.
• The young activist is the author of three books: No One Is Too Small To Make A Difference, Our House Is On Fire and Greta Thunberg (I Know This To Be True): On truth, courage & saving our planet. 
• Swedish documentarian Nathan Grossman directed the documentary film I am Greta, which captures the life and struggles of Greta Thunberg. The movie saw its world premiere at the 77th Venice International Film Festival on Sep 3, 2020.  On Oct 16, 2020, the documentary was released in The United Kingdom and Germany. It released in The United States on Nov 13 last year and in Sweden on the 20th of the same month.
• At the age of 11 Thuneberg was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome. She said that while her diagnosis may have limited her, she did not believe that autism was an illness. "I have Aspergers and that means I’m sometimes a bit different from the norm. And – given the right circumstances- being different is a superpower," she said. You can read more about it here.

Also Read: Why Are Adults So Unwilling To Listen To Greta Thunberg?

Picture credit: Evening Standard

The views expressed are the author's own.