Career Timeline of Greta Thunberg: Major Achievements and Milestones
From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Greta Thunberg made an impact.
Greta Thunberg is a Swedish climate activist who gained international recognition for her outspoken advocacy for immediate action against climate change. Beginning with school strikes in 2018, she has challenged world leaders, demanding they prioritize climate science and implement policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Her activism has inspired a global movement of young people, and she has addressed numerous international forums, including the United Nations. Thunberg is known for her uncompromising stance and unwavering commitment to raising awareness about the urgency of the climate crisis.
1975: Collaboration with 'The 1975'
In 1975, Greta Thunberg contributed a voiceover for a release of "The 1975", a song by the English band by the same name. Thunberg finishes the song by urging people to undertake civil disobedience and rebel. Proceeds were given to Extinction Rebellion at Thunberg's request.
May 2018: Climate change essay competition win
In May 2018, Greta Thunberg won a climate change essay competition by Svenska Dagbladet (The Swedish Daily News) for young people, before the start of her school strike.
August 2018: Thunberg begins school climate strikes
In August 2018, Greta Thunberg began her school climate strikes. She stated that she got the idea from school shootings in the United States in February 2018.
August 2018: Start of school strike
In August 2018, Greta Thunberg's climate activism began with her school strike, a key event memorialized in the documentary "I Am Greta".
August 2018: Greta Thunberg Begins School Strike for Climate
In August 2018, at the age of 15, Greta Thunberg started skipping school to protest in front of the Swedish parliament. She demanded stronger action on climate change, holding a sign saying 'Skolstrejk för klimatet' (School Strike for Climate) and handing out informational flyers.
August 2018: Thunberg's Initial School Strike
On 20 August 2018, Greta Thunberg began her school strike outside the Swedish parliament, the Riksdag. She protested every day for three weeks during school hours, demanding the Swedish government reduce carbon emissions in line with the Paris Agreement.
2018: IPCC's Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 °C
Greta Thunberg refers to IPCC's Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 °C published in 2018 which detailed that greenhouse gas emissions curve needs to start declining steeply.
2018: Thunberg Speaks at COP24
In 2018, Greta Thunberg's speech during the plenary session of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP24) went viral. She criticized world leaders for not being mature enough to address the climate crisis.
2018: Thunberg's Activism Evolves
Throughout the autumn of 2018, Greta Thunberg's activism evolved from a solitary protest to demonstrations throughout Europe. In December 2018, she continued to school strike on Fridays, inspiring students worldwide to join her.
January 2019: Thunberg Speaks at World Economic Forum
In January 2019, Greta Thunberg gave a speech at the World Economic Forum, declaring "Our house is on fire."
February 2019: EU Conference Speech on Emission Cuts
In February 2019, Greta Thunberg spoke at a conference of the European Economic and Social Committee, arguing that the EU's 40% emission cut target by 2030 is insufficient and must be doubled to 80%.
April 2019: Speech to British Parliament
In April 2019, Greta Thunberg spoke to the British Parliament, criticizing world leaders for insufficient action on global emissions and urging them to listen to scientists rather than just lowering emissions.
May 2019: Time magazine cover feature
In May 2019, Greta Thunberg was featured on the cover of Time magazine, described as a role model and one of the "Next Generation Leaders".
August 2019: Thunberg Sails Across the Atlantic
In August 2019, Greta Thunberg sailed across the Atlantic Ocean from Plymouth, England, to New York City on the Malizia II yacht. The voyage took 15 days, from 14 to 28 August 2019.
September 2019: Attended UN Climate Action Summit
In September 2019, Greta Thunberg attended the UN Climate Action Summit in New York City. On that day, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) hosted a press conference where Thunberg joined 15 other children, including Ayakha Melithafa, Alexandria Villaseñor, Catarina Lorenzo, Ridhima Pandey and Carl Smith.
September 2019: Attended UN Climate Summit in New York
In September 2019, Greta Thunberg attended the United Nations Climate Summit in New York City, a journey that involved a two-week sea voyage across the Atlantic Ocean from Europe, as documented in "I Am Greta".
September 2019: Vogue cover feature
In September 2019, Greta Thunberg was featured on the cover of Vogue magazine, which was guest-edited by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.
September 2019: Speeches incorporated into music
In September 2019, John Meredith set Greta Thunberg's UN Action Summit speech to death metal. Also in September 2019, Megan Washington and Robert Davidson used the same 'how dare you' speech for a performance at an event exploring the future of music. DJ Fatboy Slim created a mashup of this speech with his dance hit "Right Here, Right Now".
September 2019: Participated in climate protests in Canada and the US
In late September 2019, Greta Thunberg entered Canada and participated in climate protests in Montreal, Edmonton, and Vancouver, including leading a climate rally as part of the 27 September 2019 Global Climate Strike in Montreal. In the United States, Thunberg participated in climate protests in New York City, Washington, D.C., Iowa City, Los Angeles, Charlotte, Denver and the Standing Rock Indian Reservation.
November 2019: Sailed across the Atlantic to attend COP25
In November 2019, after the COP25 was moved to Madrid, Spain, Greta Thunberg, refusing to fly due to carbon emissions, secured a ride across the Atlantic Ocean on the catamaran La Vagabonde, setting sail from Hampton, Virginia, on 13 November 2019, for Lisbon, Portugal. Her message was to unite behind the science and act on it.
December 2019: Madrid Speech on Climate Change Effects
In December 2019, Greta Thunberg spoke in Madrid about the disproportionate effect of climate change on young people and the Global South, emphasizing that their future/present is being compromised for profit.
December 2019: Arrived in Lisbon and Spoke at COP25
On 3 December 2019, Greta Thunberg arrived in Lisbon and traveled to Madrid to speak at COP25, participating with local Fridays for Future climate strikers. During a press conference, she called for more concrete action, noting that the global wave of school strikes had achieved nothing as greenhouse gas emissions were still rising.
December 2019: Guest Editor of BBC Radio's Today Programme
On 30 December 2019, Greta Thunberg was the guest editor of the BBC Radio's Today Programme. Her edition featured interviews on climate change with Sir David Attenborough, Bank of England chief Mark Carney, Massive Attack's Robert Del Naja, and Shell Oil executive Maarten Wetselaar.
2019: Thunberg promotes anti-flying movement
In 2019, Greta Thunberg championed the anti-flying movement, promoting rail travel over flying due to environmental concerns and backing the campaign to reduce air travel during her European tour.
2019: Collaboration with Project Pressure
In 2019, Greta Thunberg collaborated with the climate charity Project Pressure on an art piece projected onto the UN building in New York, featuring the voices of six young activists, including Thunberg herself. The commentary, visualised by Joseph Michael, authored by Klaus Thymann, and with music by Brian Eno, was on the climate crisis.
2019: Thunberg Addresses UN Climate Action Summit
In 2019, Greta Thunberg sailed to New York to address the UN Climate Action Summit. During her speech, she famously scolded world leaders with the phrase "How dare you," criticizing their inaction on the climate crisis.
January 2020: Called on Siemens to Stop Delivery to Carmichael Coal Mine
On 11 January 2020, Greta Thunberg called on German company Siemens to halt the delivery of railway equipment to the controversial Carmichael coal mine, which is operated by Adani Group in Australia.
January 2020: Returned to the World Economic Forum in Davos
On 21 January 2020, Greta Thunberg returned to the World Economic Forum held in Davos, Switzerland, delivered two speeches, and participated in panel discussions hosted by The New York Times and the World Economic Forum, focusing on the theme "Our house is still on fire."
February 2020: Met Malala Yousafzai and joined a school strike
In February 2020, Greta Thunberg traveled to Oxford University to meet Malala Yousafzai, a Nobel Peace Prize-winning Pakistani activist for female education. She later joined a school strike in Bristol.
March 2020: Attended European Parliament's Environment Committee Meeting
On 4 March 2020, Greta Thunberg attended an extraordinary meeting of the European Parliament's Environment Committee to discuss the European Climate Law, declaring the European Commission's climate law proposal a surrender.
May 2020: Appearance in Pearl Jam's music video
In May 2020, Greta Thunberg was featured in Pearl Jam's music video "Retrograde". She appears as a fortune teller, with images in her crystal ball depicting climate change effects.
July 2020: Open letter to EU leaders
In July 2020, Greta Thunberg, along with Luisa Neubauer, Anuna De Wever and Adélaïde Carlier, penned an open letter addressed to EU leaders and heads of state, urging them to champion the recognition of ecocide as an international crime under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court.
August 2020: Met with Angela Merkel and Announced Plans for Global Climate Strike
On 20 August 2020, the second anniversary of Thunberg's first strike, Thunberg and fellow climate activists met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin. They subsequently announced plans for another global climate strike on 25 September 2020.
September 2020: Planned a global climate strike
In September 2020, Greta Thunberg planned for a global climate strike to take place on September 25th. Whether the strike in September is virtual in nature or in the streets would be determined by the pandemic situation.
September 2020: "I Am Greta" world premiere at Venice Film Festival
On 3 September 2020, the documentary "I Am Greta" had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival.
November 2020: Criticism of Political Inaction and the European Green Deal
In a November 2020 interview, Greta Thunberg criticized political inaction on climate change, specifically the European Green Deal, stating that leaders set targets for decades ahead but flinch from immediate action.
December 2020: Criticized New Zealand's Climate Change Emergency Declaration
On 14 December 2020, Greta Thunberg used Twitter to criticize the New Zealand Labour Government's recent climate change emergency declaration as virtue signalling, stating that New Zealand's Labour Government had only committed to reducing less than one percent of New Zealand's carbon emissions by 2025.
2020: Advocating Steep Decline in Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Greta Thunberg argued that the greenhouse gas emissions curve needed to start declining steeply no later than 2020 to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees.
March 2021: Timmermans commits to Green Deal objectives
In March 2021, European Commissioner for Climate Action Frans Timmermans affirmed the European Commission's commitment to aligning the Common Agricultural Policy with the goals of the European Green Deal after discussions with Greta Thunberg.
April 2021: Launched Climate Live Concert
In April 2021, Greta Thunberg and other climate activists launched the annual Climate Live concert to highlight climate change.
May 2021: Addressed the COVID-19 crisis and called for changes in food production
In May 2021, Greta Thunberg addressed the COVID-19 crisis, urging a change in the food production system and the protection of animals and their habitats.
September 2021: Criticized Fashion Industry in Vogue Scandinavia Interview
In September 2021, Greta Thunberg appeared on the cover of Vogue Scandinavia and criticized the fashion industry's greenwashing, deeming it a major contributor to climate and ecological emergencies.
September 2021: Criticized World Leaders at Youth4Climate Summit
On 28 September 2021, Greta Thunberg criticized U.S. president Joe Biden, British prime minister Boris Johnson, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi, and other world leaders over their climate crisis promises in a speech at the Youth4Climate Summit in Milan.
October 2021: COP26 protests and speech
On October 30, 2021, Greta Thunberg arrived at Glasgow Central station for the COP26 conference. She participated in protests, including a Fridays for Future Scotland climate strike on November 5th, advocating for systemic change and criticizing COP26 as a failure characterized by "blah blah blah" and greenwashing.
November 2021: Filed a Petition to the United Nations to declare a Climate Emergency
In November 2021, Greta Thunberg, along with other climate activists, filed a petition to the United Nations, calling it to declare a level 3 global climate emergency.
December 2021: Reiterated Criticism of Joe Biden's Climate Leadership
In December 2021, Greta Thunberg reiterated her criticism of U.S. president Joe Biden, stating it was strange to think of him as a climate leader given the U.S. expansions on use of fossil fuels during his administration.
February 2022: Condemned Beowulf Mining on Sámi Land
On 6 February 2022, Greta Thunberg condemned the British firm Beowulf and its mining of iron on Sámi land, urging the Swedish government to prioritize climate, environment, and indigenous rights over short-term company profits.
February 2022: Protested Against the Invasion of Ukraine
On Friday, 25 February 2022, Greta Thunberg combined her usual Friday climate protests to include opposing the invasion of Ukraine by Russian military forces. She stood outside the Russian embassy in Stockholm holding a sign that read "Stand With Ukraine".
July 2022: Criticized European Parliament for Labeling Fossil Gas and Nuclear Energy as Green
On 6 July 2022, Greta Thunberg criticized the European Parliament for voting to label fossil gas and nuclear energy as green energy, calling it hypocrisy that would delay a real sustainable transition and deepen dependency on Russian fuels.
October 2022: Release of The Climate Book in the UK
In October 2022, Greta Thunberg's book, 'The Climate Book,' was released in the UK on 27 October 2022, marking the initial launch of the compilation featuring essays from over one hundred experts on Earth's climate. Thunberg donated her copyright and royalties to her foundation.
November 2022: Filed Lawsuit Against Swedish Government for Climate Inaction
In November 2022, Greta Thunberg, along with over 600 young people, filed a lawsuit against the Swedish government for climate inaction within Sweden.
February 2023: Release of The Climate Book in the United States
On 14 February 2023, 'The Climate Book' was released in the United States and elsewhere, with extracts and reviews made available.
June 2023: High School Graduation and Final School Strike
On 9 June 2023, Greta Thunberg graduated from high school, marking the day with her last school strike for climate protest before receiving her diploma. She vowed to continue her fight.
December 2023: Publication of Opinion Piece on Gaza's Suffering
On 5 December 2023, Greta Thunberg and three researchers published an opinion piece in The Guardian titled "We won't stop speaking out about Gaza's suffering", clarifying FFF Sweden's support for Palestinian civilians and defending the organization's political stance.
2023: Thunberg's Activism Evolves Post-Graduation
After graduating from high school in 2023, Greta Thunberg continued her activism, incorporating acts of civil disobedience. Her activism expanded to support Ukraine, Palestine, Armenia, and Western Sahara in their respective conflicts.
2030: Criticism of EU's Emission Cut Target
Greta Thunberg criticized EU's current intention to cut emissions by 40% by 2030 saying it is "not sufficient to protect the future for children growing up today".
2050: The European Green Deal target
Greta Thunberg criticized the European Green Deal, which aims to make the EU climate neutral by 2050, saying that it "sends a strong signal that real and sufficient action is being taken when in fact it's not.
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