Greta Thunberg

**Greta Thunberg** (born 3 January 2003) is a Swedish activist. She is known for her work against climate change. Her activism has gone on to include other (things or) causes. Included are supporting countries Ukraine, Palestine, Armenia and Western Sahara; That support is in regard to these conflicts: Russian invasion of Ukraine, Israeli–Palestinian conflict, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and Western Sahara conflict.

Her work against climate change is a popular example of youth activism.

## Early life

Greta Thunberg was born on 3 January 2003. She is the oldest daughter of Malena Ernman and Svante Thunberg. Her mother is a singer and her father is an actor. Her grandfather is actor and director Olof Thunberg.

At a TEDx speech in November 2018, Thunberg stated that she first heard about climate change at the age of eight, but could not understand why so little was being done about it. At age 11, she had depression and stopped talking. Later, she was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD), and selective mutism. She added that selective mutism means that she was speaking only when she needed to and that "now is one of those moments". She further added that the "spectrum" was an advantage "as almost everything is black or white". She said: "I feel like I am dying inside if I don't protest". She hands out leaflets outside the Swedish parliament with the phrase "I am doing this because you adults are shitting on my future."

Her father doesn't like that she misses school but says: "[We] respect that she wants to make a stand. She can either sit at home and be really unhappy, or protest, and be happy". To lower her family's carbon footprint, she insisted on becoming vegan and give up flying. She said she persuaded her parents to give up eating meat by making them feel guilty. "I kept telling them that they were stealing our future."  Her mother gave up her international career as an opera singer. Despite invitations to speak at international events, Greta also avoids flying.

Thunberg says her teachers are divided in their views about her missing class to make her protest. She says: "As people they think what I am doing is good, but as teachers they say I should stop." A teacher who supports her said: "Greta is a troublemaker, she is not listening to adults. But we are heading full speed for a catastrophe, and in this situation the only reasonable thing is to be unreasonable."

## Career as activist

Her work against climate change, is a popular example of youth activism.
She started protesting on 20 August 2018, outside of the Swedish Parliament in Stockholm. In December 2018, she attended the UN Climate Change Conference in Katowice, in Poland. In the next month, she gave a speech on the World Economic Forum in Davos.

On 15 March 2019, approximately 1,400,000 people around the world, mainly students, protested against climate change. On 24 May 2019, a second major protest took place.

Activism after high-school graduation: In late 2023, Thunberg and 3 other people, had an article published in _The Guardian_; The article's title is "We [will not or] won't stop speaking out about Gaza's suffering – there is no climate justice without human rights." The article was about her and _FFF Sweden_'s support for Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip during the Gaza war.

In June 2025, she and other activists were on a boat that was headed for Gaza; At least one Israeli soldier boarded the boat; The boat was forced to move toward a port in Israel. The boat came to the port of Ashdod. Thunberg and other activist came to an airport (10 June); A police interview [was] supposed to happen at the airport. She came back to Sweden (11 June). The incident is part of the June 2025 Gaza Freedom Flotilla.

#### Norway

As of August 2025, 200 activists from Extinction Rebellion, are in the capital city of Norway and she is there too; Some of those and Thunberg are blocking access to a bank; Other protesters are blocking Norges Bank (August 22). Police reports were filed earlier (August 21) against 16 protesters that did not leave a bank, when police gave orders to leave; The protesters were removed. Earlier (August 20), 150 activists from Extinction Rebellion were protesting on the ocean, next to an oil facility of Equinor (company) at Mongstad, Alver municipality, Norway; Thunberg is there; Arrests of 6 people, have been made (August 19); Some of those people had been on a sailboat, and [at least] one person was in a dinghy; The sailboat and the dinghy were impounded; Those who were arrested, were set free. Earlier (August 18), arrests of 10 people, have been made; Police will be using 5 kayaks to transport those arestees.

During a press conference Norway's prime minister was asked about another politician wanting Thunberg deported; The PM said that there is freedom of speech; Furthermore, in regard to following Norwegian laws and regulations about gathering for protests: Everyone in Norway has to follow those. That happened during the month leading up to election of Norway's government.

### Trying to end the blockade of Gaza

She [has been] part of Global Sumud Flotilla (as of the second week of September 2025); The flotilla says that it is trying to break the blockade of Gaza. At least one Israeli soldier boarded the boat that she is on; The boat was forced to move toward a port in Israel.

## Works

In May 2019 Penguin, a British publishing house, published _No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference_, which is a collection of her speeches. Penguin published _Scenes from the Heart_, the Thunberg family's story, in August 2018. All earnings from these books will be donated to charity. In the same month, artist Jody Thomas painted a mural of Thunberg on a wall in Bristol. It portrays the bottom half of her face as if under rising sea water.
In 2022 she published The Climate Book.

## Awards

She has received many awards. Three Norwegian MPs nominated her for the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize.

In December 2019, _Time_ magazine named Thunberg _Time_ Person of the Year 2019.

## Other websites

- 'Here Greta Thunberg is gathered with 150 activists: Preparing for a large protest'. Nettavisen.no. 2025-08-18

## Infobox (person)

- **name**: Greta Thunberg
- **honorific suffix**: FRSGS
- **image**: File:Greta Thunberg Stockholm 2024 (cropped).jpg
- **caption**: Greta Thunberg in 2024
- **birth name**: Greta Tintin Eleonora Ernman Thunberg
- **birth place**: Stockholm, Sweden
- **occupation**: Student, Environmental movement, environmental activist
- **years active**: 2018–present
- **movement**: School strike for the climate
- **mother**: Malena Ernman
- **father**: Svante Thunberg
- **relatives**: Olof Thunberg (grandfather)
- **signature**: Greta Thunberg Signature.svg