Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Greta Thunberg

Controversies are a part of history. Explore the biggest scandals linked to Greta Thunberg.

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.

Sections (7)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals Legacy & Impact

May 2019: Thunberg addresses online criticism

In May 2019, Greta Thunberg addressed the personal attacks she received online, stating that such attacks indicated her critics lacked substantive arguments. Joe Biden, then a former U.S. vice-president, responded to Trump's tweet mocking Thunberg by criticizing Trump's bullying behavior.

August 2019: Criticism and personal attacks against Thunberg

In August 2019, various commentators and media outlets, including Scientific American, The Guardian, The Spectator, The Sunday Times and British TV presenter Piers Morgan, were noted to have launched personal attacks against Greta Thunberg, including attacks on her autism.

September 2019: Trump mocks Thunberg's climate change address

In September 2019, Donald Trump shared a video of Greta Thunberg's speech and mocked her on Twitter, after which Thunberg changed her Twitter bio to match his description.

September 2019: Gillespie criticizes Thunberg's approach

In September 2019, Nick Gillespie criticized Greta Thunberg's approach as histrionic, while noting that such responses are not conducive to good environmental policy.

October 2019: Putin describes Thunberg as a "kind girl and very sincere"

In October 2019, Vladimir Putin described Greta Thunberg as "kind and sincere" but suggested she was being manipulated, criticizing her as "poorly informed." Thunberg updated her Twitter bio to reflect Putin's description of her.

December 2019: Deutsche Bahn controversy

In December 2019, Greta Thunberg tweeted a photo of herself on an overcrowded train in Germany, leading to criticism from Deutsche Bahn (DB). DB initially apologized for the inconvenience but later deleted the tweet and criticized Greta for not acknowledging being provided a seat in first class later. Greta clarified the situation, emphasizing that overcrowded trains indicate high demand for train travel.

December 2019: Bolsonaro calls Thunberg a "brat"

In December 2019, Greta Thunberg tweeted about the murder of indigenous people protecting the forest, and Jair Bolsonaro, the president of Brazil, responded by calling her a "brat," leading Thunberg to change her Twitter description to reflect this.

December 2019: Donald Trump's tweet about Greta Thunberg

In December 2019, after Greta Thunberg was named Time's youngest Person of the Year, then sitting US president Donald Trump tweeted that she should work on her anger management and watch a movie. In response, Thunberg updated her Twitter profile to reflect Trump's comments.

December 2019: Trump mocks Thunberg after being named Person of the Year

In December 2019, after Time named Greta Thunberg Person of the Year, Donald Trump mocked her again on Twitter, prompting her to update her Twitter bio in response.

2019: Thunberg's views on politicians

In 2019, Greta Thunberg shared that she hadn't been impressed by any politician she had met. She expressed skepticism towards figures like New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, stating that their actions on climate change did not match their words, as New Zealand's greenhouse-gas emissions had increased by 2% in 2019.

February 2020: X-Site Energy Services sticker incident

In February 2020, X-Site Energy Services of Alberta, Canada, distributed a sticker depicting a violent image of a girl labeled "Greta." Greta Thunberg responded on Twitter, seeing it as a sign of their movement's success. X-Site Energy later apologized, admitting distribution, destroying copies, and making organizational changes.

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: Thunberg comments on Trump's "Stop the count!" tweet

During the 2020 United States presidential election, Greta Thunberg responded to Donald Trump's "Stop the count!" tweet with a mocking comment, mirroring his previous remarks about her anger management.

2020: Indian Farmers' Protest

In 2020 Greta Thunberg supported the Indian Farmers' protest.

2020: Thunberg Speaks Out Against Entrance Exams in India

In 2020, Greta Thunberg voiced her opposition to the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate) and Joint Entrance Examination 2020 exams in India, citing the unfairness of conducting exams during a global pandemic and the impact of floods on students.

February 2021: Thunberg Supports Indian Farmers' Protest

On 3 February 2021, Greta Thunberg tweeted her support for the 2020-2021 Indian farmers' protest, linking to a toolkit document. She later deleted the tweet and the Indian climate activist who edited the toolkit, Disha Ravi, was arrested on 16 February 2021.

August 2021: Thunberg as target of disinformation

In August 2021, Yasmeen Serhan wrote that Greta Thunberg had become "the target of a barrage of disinformation and conspiracies" from the far-right and populist right.

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.

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.

2021: Thunberg's skepticism about COP26

In 2021, prior to the COP26 conference in Glasgow, Greta Thunberg expressed pessimism regarding the conference's potential for meaningful change, citing a lack of tangible action from leaders and criticizing symbolic gestures and creative accounting. She also called Chinese president Xi Jinping "a leader of a dictatorship" and said that "democracy is the only solution to the climate crisis, since the only thing that could get us out of this situation is ... massive public pressure."

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.

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.

January 2023: Detention at Lützerath Coal Mine Protest

In January 2023, Greta Thunberg spoke at a protest in Lützerath on 14 January 2023, urging German authorities to halt the expansion of a coal mine. On 17 January 2023, she was detained along with other activists while demonstrating at the Garzweiler 2 coal mine and released the same day after an identity check.

June 2023: Greta calls Kakhovka dam destruction an ecocide

In June 2023, Greta Thunberg condemned Russia's destruction of the Kakhovka dam in Ukraine as an act of ecocide, advocating for their prosecution and emphasizing the world's scrutiny of their actions and crimes.

June 2023: Arrested at Reclaim the Future protest in Sweden

On 19 June 2023, Greta Thunberg participated in a Reclaim the Future protest in Malmö, Sweden, and was charged with disobeying a police order for disrupting traffic.

July 2023: Trial and Conviction for Disobeying Police Order

On 24 July 2023, Greta Thunberg's trial was held at Malmö District Court, resulting in a conviction for disobedience to authority and a fine of 2,500 SEK (approximately US$240). She attended a similar protest the same day.

August 2023: Cancellation of Edinburgh Book Festival Appearance

On 4 August 2023, Greta Thunberg canceled her appearance at the Edinburgh International Book Festival on 11 August 2023 to promote 'The Climate Book,' due to the festival's sponsorship by Baillie Gifford, an investment firm with connections to the fossil fuel industry.

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October 2023: Second Swedish Trial and Conviction

On 11 October 2023, Greta Thunberg faced a second Swedish trial for disobeying a police order to disperse. She was found guilty for the 24 July 2023 incident and ordered to pay fines totaling 4,500 Swedish crowns ($414).

October 2023: Arrested at Energy Intelligence Forum Protest in London

On 18 October 2023, Greta Thunberg was arrested in London for protesting against the Energy Intelligence Forum and charged with failure to comply with a lawful order to disperse.

October 2023: Criticism for Pro-Palestinian Stance

On 20 October 2023, Greta Thunberg faced criticism for posting a photo supporting Palestinians in Gaza during her climate protest, without initially condemning the Hamas attack on Israel. She later clarified her position.

November 2023: Plea of 'Not Guilty' in London Court

On 15 November 2023, Greta Thunberg appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court and entered a plea of 'not guilty' regarding her arrest in London.

April 2024: Charged with Civil Disobedience in Sweden

On 23 April 2024, Greta Thunberg was charged with civil disobedience for allegedly ignoring police orders during climate demonstrations in March 2024 blocking Sweden's parliament building.

April 2024: Detention at Extinction Rebellion Protest in The Hague

On 6 April 2024, Greta Thunberg was forcibly removed from blocking a road during an Extinction Rebellion-led protest in The Hague, Netherlands. She was removed again from a second blockade.

May 2024: Detention at Pro-Palestinian Protest during Eurovision

On 11 May 2024, Greta Thunberg was detained by Swedish police for participating in a pro-Palestinian protest outside Malmö Arena during the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 and subsequently released a statement opposing Israel's participation.

May 2024: Conviction and Fine for Civil Disobedience

On 8 May 2024, Greta Thunberg was convicted by a Swedish court and fined 6,000 Swedish Kronor (US$550) for civil disobedience, plus an additional 1,000 Swedish Kronor (US$92) in damages.

September 2024: Detention during Pro-Palestinian Protest in Copenhagen

In September 2024, Danish police apprehended Greta Thunberg during a pro-Palestinian protest in Copenhagen. She was detained for blocking the entrance to a building at the University of Copenhagen. She was also "carried out" from Stockholm University's library after a protest.

December 2024: Controversial Statement at Pro-Palestine Rally in Germany

In December 2024, Greta Thunberg declared "Fuck Germany and fuck Israel" at a pro-Palestine rally in Mannheim, Germany, drawing criticism and accusations of anti-Semitism.