Discover the defining moments in the early life of Greta Thunberg. From birth to education, explore key events.
Greta Thunberg is a Swedish climate activist who gained international recognition for her efforts to raise awareness about climate change. She is known for challenging world leaders to take immediate and decisive action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the impacts of global warming. Thunberg's activism began with school strikes in Sweden, which evolved into a global movement known as Fridays for Future. She has delivered speeches at international forums, including the United Nations, advocating for urgent climate action and holding world leaders accountable for their environmental policies.
In January 2003, Greta Tintin Eleonora Ernman Thunberg was born. She later became a Swedish climate activist known for challenging world leaders to take action on climate change.
On 3 January 2003, Greta Tintin Eleonora Ernman Thunberg was born in Stockholm, Sweden. She is the daughter of opera singer Malena Ernman and actor Svante Thunberg. Her paternal grandfather was actor and director Olof Thunberg.
In response to Greta Thunberg's outspoken stance on climate change, various politicians have also acknowledged the need to focus on climate change. Labour politician Ed Miliband, who was responsible for introducing the Climate Change Act 2008, said, "You have woken us up. Thank you.
In 2011, at the age of eight, Greta Thunberg first heard about climate change and was unable to understand why so little was being done about it, which lead to depression.
In May 2015, Greta Thunberg's mother made her daughter's diagnosis of Asperger's syndrome public to help families in similar situations. Greta has described her Asperger's as her "superpower".
In February 2018, Greta Thunberg was inspired by school shootings in the United States where youths refused to return to school. These teen activists at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, went on to organize the March for Our Lives in support of greater gun control.
In May 2018, before her school strike, Greta Thunberg won a climate change essay competition by Svenska Dagbladet for young people.
In August 2018, Greta Thunberg initiated school climate strikes and began delivering public speeches, which led to her international recognition as a climate activist.
In August 2018, at the age of 15, Greta Thunberg began skipping school to protest outside the Swedish parliament. She held a sign reading 'Skolstrejk för klimatet' (School Strike for Climate) and distributed informational flyers, demanding stronger action on climate change.
The documentary, I am Greta, followed Thunberg's climate activism from the first solitary days of her school strike in August 2018 through to her two-week sea voyage across the Atlantic Ocean from Europe to New York City to attend the United Nations Climate Summit in September 2019.
In 2018, Greta Thunberg addressed the United Nations Climate Change Conference. Following her speech, weekly climate strike protests took place on Fridays around the world.
In 2018, Greta Thunberg's speech at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP24) went viral. She criticized world leaders for not being "mature enough to tell it like it is".
In 2018, the IPCC's Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C was published. Greta Thunberg has cited this report, arguing that greenhouse gas emissions need to start declining steeply no later than 2020 to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees.
In 2018, the book 'Scenes from the Heart', co-authored by Greta Thunberg and her family, was published. The book recounts the family's story of lowering their carbon footprint and overall impact on the environment.
Throughout 2018, Greta Thunberg's activism evolved from a solitary protest to taking part in demonstrations throughout Europe, making several high-profile public speeches, and mobilizing her followers on social media platforms. After Sweden's 2018 general election, Thunberg continued to school strike – but only on Fridays. She inspired school students across the globe to take part in her Friday school strikes. In December alone, more than 20,000 students held strikes in at least 270 cities.
In January 2019, Greta Thunberg gave a speech at the World Economic Forum, declaring, "Our house is on fire." She also addressed the British, European and French parliaments and met with Pope Francis.
In February 2019, at a conference of the European Economic and Social Committee, Greta Thunberg argued that the EU's emission reduction target of 40% by 2030 was insufficient, calling for an 80% reduction instead.
In February 2019, 224 academics signed an open letter expressing their support for Greta Thunberg's actions and the school strikes, contrasting with the political opposition she often faced.
In February 2019, Greta Thunberg shared a stage with the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker, who announced that every fourth euro in the EU budget from 2021 to 2027 would be dedicated to climate change mitigation.
In March 2019, Greta Thunberg was still staging her regular protests outside the Swedish parliament every Friday, where other students occasionally joined her.
In April 2019, Greta Thunberg spoke to the British Parliament, criticizing world leaders for insufficient action on global emissions and emphasizing the need to reduce emissions to zero to limit global warming to 1.5°C. She advised politicians to listen to scientists.
In May 2019, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres endorsed the school strikes initiated by Thunberg, admitting his generation had failed to address climate change and that it was up to the youth to rescue the planet. He was speaking at an event in New Zealand.
In May 2019, climate issues played a significant role in the European Parliament election. Green parties achieved their best results, increasing their seat numbers, largely due to young people inspired by Thunberg.
In May 2019, Greta Thunberg addressed the online criticism she faced, stating that mocking her appearance or personality meant critics had no valid arguments. Also in May 2019, Joe Biden responded to Trump's tweet mocking Thunberg, calling it bullying.
In June 2019, Swedish Railways (SJ) reported an 8% increase in the number of Swedes taking trains for domestic journeys compared to the previous year, reflecting growing public concern about the impact of flying on CO2 emissions.
In June 2019, a YouGov poll in Britain revealed that public concern about the environment had risen to record levels in the UK due to the influence of Thunberg and Extinction Rebellion.
In July 2019, Time magazine reported Greta Thunberg was taking a 'sabbatical year' from school to travel in the Americas and attend the 2019 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP25).
In August 2019, Greta Thunberg sailed across the Atlantic Ocean from Plymouth, England, to New York City, in the 60-foot (18 m) racing yacht Malizia II, equipped with solar panels and underwater turbines. The voyage took 15 days, from 14 to 28 August 2019.
In August 2019, it was reported that Greta Thunberg's detractors had launched personal attacks, including those related to her autism. Columnists and media outlets were called out for making "ugly personal attacks" on Thunberg. Piers Morgan also mocked Thunberg.
In August 2019, the publication and sales of children's books about the climate crisis reportedly doubled compared to the previous year. Publishers attributed this increase to the "Greta effect".
In September 2019, Greta Thunberg participated in the school strikes for climate which were attended by over four million people, with hundreds of thousands taking part in the protest in Montreal, described as the largest in the city's history. The mayor of Montreal gave her the Freedom of the City award. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was in attendance, and Thunberg spoke briefly with him.
On 23 September 2019, Greta Thunberg attended the UN Climate Action Summit in New York City. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) hosted a press conference where Thunberg joined 15 other children.
In September 2019, Donald Trump mocked Greta Thunberg's address to world leaders, which led to Thunberg changing her Twitter bio to match Trump's description. The tweet included a video of Thunberg angrily addressing world leaders, along with her quote that "people are dying, entire ecosystems are collapsing. We are in the beginning of a mass extinction."
In September 2019, Greta Thunberg participated in climate protests in Montreal, Edmonton, and Vancouver, Canada. She led a climate rally as part of the 27 September 2019 Global Climate Strike in Montreal. She also participated in climate protests in New York City, Washington, D.C., Iowa City, Los Angeles, Charlotte, Denver, and the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, USA.
In September 2019, Nick Gillespie criticized Greta Thunberg's approach, arguing it was not a guide to good environmental policy.
In September 2019, following Greta Thunberg's speech at the action summit in New York, Democratic candidates for the 2020 United States presidential election, including Kamala Harris, Beto O'Rourke, and Bernie Sanders, voiced their support.
The documentary, I am Greta, followed Thunberg's climate activism from her school strike in August 2018 through to her two-week sea voyage across the Atlantic Ocean from Europe to New York City to attend the United Nations Climate Summit in September 2019.
In October 2019, Vladimir Putin described Greta Thunberg as a "kind girl and very sincere" but suggested she was being manipulated. He criticized her as "poorly informed" and said she didn't understand the complexities of the modern world.
In November 2019, after the 2019 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP25) was moved to Madrid, Spain, Thunberg, refusing to fly due to carbon emissions, secured a ride across the Atlantic Ocean on the catamaran La Vagabonde, offered by Riley Whitelum and Elayna Carausu. On 13 November 2019, Thunberg set sail from Hampton, Virginia, for Lisbon, Portugal.
In December 2019, Donald Trump mocked Greta Thunberg after she was named Time's Person of the Year for 2019. Thunberg responded by updating her Twitter biography to reflect Trump's comments.
In December 2019, Greta Thunberg arrived in the Port of Lisbon on 3 December 2019, then travelled on to Madrid to speak at COP25 and participate with the local Fridays for Future climate strikers. During a press conference before the march, she called for more "concrete action".
In December 2019, Greta Thunberg's father mentioned in an interview with the BBC that Greta Thunberg's mother gave up her international opera career to save her child and that Greta grew a lot from that decision.
In December 2019, after Greta Thunberg tweeted about the murder of indigenous people protecting the forest, then Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro called her a 'brat'. She responded by changing her Twitter description to pirralha, the Portuguese word for 'brat'.
In December 2019, speaking in Madrid, Greta Thunberg said that climate change will disproportionately affect young people and people in the Global South.
In December 2019, the New Scientist described the impact made by Thunberg and Extinction Rebellion with the headline: "The year the world woke up to climate change."
In 2019, Greta Thunberg sailed on a carbon-free yacht from England to New York where she addressed the UN Climate Action Summit. In her speech, Thunberg scolded the world's leaders by exclaiming "How dare you" in reference to their inaction to the climate crisis.
In 2019, Thunberg stated that she was not impressed by any politicians she had met, including New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, whom she believed was wrongly considered a climate leader, as emissions had not fallen.
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. Thunberg focused on the theme: "Our house is still on fire."
In February 2020, Greta Thunberg traveled to Oxford University to meet Malala Yousafzai, a Nobel Peace Prize-winning Pakistani activist for female education. Thunberg was later to join a school strike in Bristol.
On 13 March 2020, Greta Thunberg stated that "In a crisis we change our behavior and adapt to the new circumstances for the greater good of society." Greta Thunberg and School Strike for Climate subsequently moved their activities online.
In July 2020, Greta Thunberg, along with other activists, wrote an open letter to EU leaders urging them to advocate for making ecocide an international crime at the International Criminal Court.
On 20 August 2020, the second anniversary of Thunberg's first strike, Greta Thunberg and fellow climate activists met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin.
On 24 August 2020, Greta Thunberg ended her gap year from school when she returned to the classroom.
In August 2020, following a meeting with Angela Merkel, Greta Thunberg and fellow climate activists announced plans for another global climate strike on 25 September 2020. Whether the strike would be virtual or in the streets would be determined by the pandemic situation.
In November 2020, Thunberg reiterated her views on political inaction, criticizing leaders for setting long-term targets but hesitating to take immediate action. She also criticized the European Green Deal for creating a false impression of sufficient action being taken.
During the 2020 United States presidential election, Greta Thunberg responded to Donald Trump's "Stop the count!" tweet with a similar mocking comment that Trump had previously used against her.
Greta Thunberg has argued that the greenhouse gas emissions curve needs to start declining steeply no later than 2020 to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees.
In 2020, Greta Thunberg spoke out against the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate) 2020 and Joint Entrance Examination 2020 entrance exams in India, citing the unfairness of conducting exams during a global pandemic and the impact of floods on students.
In 2020, Greta Thunberg tweeted her support for the 2020-2021 Indian farmers' protest.
In 2020, the book 'Our House Is on Fire: Scenes of a Family and a Planet in Crisis' was published, an updated version of 'Scenes from the Heart', with contributions from the girls, and the whole family credited as authors.
In February 2021, Greta Thunberg tweeted her support for the 2020–2021 Indian farmers' protest, which led to backlash from Hindutva nationalists and the Indian government. She also linked to an outdated document with campaigning advice, which resulted in the arrest of an Indian climate activist. On 16 February 2021 Disha Ravi, was arrested under the charges of sedition and criminal conspiracy.
In March 2021, European Commissioner for Climate Action Frans Timmermans affirmed the European Commission's dedication to ensuring the Common Agricultural Policy aligns with the objectives of the European Green Deal after speaking with Thunberg.
In April 2021, Greta Thunberg and other climate activists launched the annual Climate Live concert to highlight climate change. Their first concert was held in April 2021.
In May 2021, Greta Thunberg addressed the COVID-19 crisis again, when she urged a change in the food production system and the protection of animals and their habitats. Thunberg's comments also addressed health concerns regarding animal welfare and the environment.
In July 2021, Greta Thunberg received her COVID vaccine, emphasizing the importance of vaccine distribution equity.
In August 2021, Yasmeen Serhan wrote that Greta Thunberg had become the target of disinformation and conspiracies from the far-right and populist right.
In September 2021, Greta Thunberg addressed the question of whether she felt guilty about ending her mother's international career, asserting that it was her mother's choice based on the information she provided.
In September 2021, Greta Thunberg appeared on the cover of Vogue Scandinavia and criticized the fashion industry's greenwashing practices. Greta Thunberg's wearing of wool during the photoshoot garnered criticism from other vegans, who said it promoted animal cruelty.
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 promises to address the climate crisis in a speech at the Youth4Climate Summit in Milan. Greta Thunberg also criticized and doubted organizers of climate conferences, saying, "They invite cherry-picked young people to meetings like this to pretend they are listening to us. But they are not."
In October 2021, Greta Thunberg arrived at Glasgow Central station for the COP26. During the conference, she participated in protests, including a Fridays for Future Scotland climate strike on Friday 5 November. She delivered a speech criticizing COP26 as a failure, using terms like "blah blah blah" and greenwashing.
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, with the aim of creating a special team that will coordinate the response to the climate crisis at an international level.
According to a 2021 study, familiarity with Greta Thunberg is associated with higher intentions of taking collective actions to reduce global warming.
In 2021, Greta Thunberg stated that many people in the Fridays for Future movement are autistic and that the movement is inclusive and welcoming. She believes autistic people are drawn to climate activism because they cannot ignore the truth and feel compelled to speak out.
In 2021, before the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Thunberg expressed skepticism about the conference's potential to achieve meaningful change. She criticized the leaders for inaction and symbolic gestures. She also called Chinese president Xi Jinping "a leader of a dictatorship".
In August 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic severely restricted travel and meetings in 2020 and 2021.
On 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".
On 6 February 2022, Greta Thunberg condemned the British firm Beowulf and its mining of iron on Sámi land, emphasizing the need to prioritize indigenous rights, the environment, and the future of humanity over short-term profit.
In November 2022, Greta Thunberg, along with over 600 young people from Auroramålet, filed a lawsuit in a Stockholm district court against the Swedish government for climate inaction within Sweden.
On 14 and 17 January 2023, Greta Thunberg participated in a protest in Lützerath against the expansion of a coal mine, calling on German authorities to stop the expansion. She was detained by German police on 17 January while demonstrating at the Garzweiler 2 coal mine, and released the same day after an identity check.
On 21 March 2023, the Nacka District Court allowed the class action lawsuit that posits Sweden has an "insufficient climate policy" to proceed.
On 19 June 2023, Greta Thunberg participated in a Reclaim the Future protest in Malmö, Sweden, and was charged with disobeying a police order.
On 29 June 2023, Greta Thunberg met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other prominent European figures to form a working group to address ecological damage from the 16-month-old Russian invasion.
On 9 June 2023, Greta Thunberg graduated from high school, marking the day with a final school strike for climate protest before receiving her diploma. She vowed to continue her fight for climate action.
In June 2023, Greta called the destruction of the Kakhovka dam in Ukraine by Russia an ecocide and called for prosecution, stating "Russia needs to be held accountable for their action and for their crimes. The eyes of the world are on them now".
On 24 July 2023, Greta Thunberg's trial was held at Malmö District Court, and she was found guilty of disobeying a police order during a protest. She was sentenced to pay fines totaling SEK 2,500.
On 4 August 2023, Greta Thunberg cancelled her appearance at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, scheduled for 11 August, to promote her book, The Climate Book. The cancellation was due to the festival's sponsorship by Baillie Gifford, an investment management firm with connections to the fossil fuel industry.
On 11 October 2023, Greta Thunberg was found guilty in her second Swedish trial for disobeying a police order during the 24 July 2023 incident. She was ordered to pay fines totaling SEK 4,500.
On 18 October 2023, Greta Thunberg was arrested in London for protesting against the Energy Intelligence Forum. She was charged with failure to comply with a lawful order to disperse.
On 20 October 2023, Greta Thunberg posted a photo supporting Palestinians in the Gaza Strip during her climate protest, which led to criticism for not condemning the October 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel. The Israeli Ministry of Education removed references to her in the educational curriculum.
On 15 November 2023, Greta Thunberg appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court and entered a plea of "not guilty" regarding her arrest during the Energy Intelligence Forum protest.
On 5 December 2023, Greta Thunberg and other members of Fridays for Future Sweden published an opinion piece in The Guardian, clarifying their support for Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip during the Gaza war. They addressed criticisms that FFF has become radicalized and stated that the organization has always been political because it is a movement for justice.
In 2023, after Greta Thunberg graduated from high school, her activism continued to gain international attention and her protest tactics have become increasingly assertive. As an adult, her protests have included both peaceful demonstrations and acts of civil disobedience. Thunberg's activism has evolved to include other causes, supporting Ukraine, Palestine, Armenia and Western Sahara.
On 2 February 2024, the case against Greta Thunberg and others related to the London protest was dismissed by the presiding judge, citing insufficient evidence from the prosecution.
On 23 April 2024, Greta Thunberg was charged with civil disobedience for allegedly ignoring police orders to leave two climate demonstrations blocking Sweden's parliament building on 12 and 14 March.
On 6 April 2024, Greta Thunberg participated in an Extinction Rebellion protest in The Hague where law enforcement forcibly removed her from blocking a road. She was detained and then joined another protest and was again removed.
On 11 May 2024, Greta Thunberg was detained by Swedish police for participating in a pro-Palestinian protest outside Malmö Arena, which was hosting the Eurovision Song Contest 2024. She subsequently released a statement opposing Israel's participation in the contest.
On 8 May 2024, Greta Thunberg was convicted by a Swedish court of civil disobedience and fined kr 6,000 (US$550) for ignoring police orders during climate demonstrations. She was also ordered to pay an additional SEK 1,000 in damages.
In September 2024, Greta Thunberg was apprehended by Danish police during a pro-Palestinian protest in Copenhagen. She was detained for blocking the entrance to a building at the University of Copenhagen and was "carried out" from the library of Stockholm University by Stockholm police after she participated in an encampment inside the library.
In November 2024, Greta Thunberg reflected on her pro-Palestine activism.
In December 2024, while speaking at a pro-Palestine rally in Mannheim, Germany, Greta Thunberg declared "Fuck Germany and fuck Israel." In response, a local CDU politician accused Thunberg of "moving very consciously in close proximity to anti-Semitism".
In May 2025, Greta Thunberg was planning to board the Gaza Freedom Flotilla, but the plans were cancelled after one of the vessels was hit by a drone attack in international waters off the coast of Malta. The mission aimed to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.
In June 2025, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition launched a new aid mission to Gaza aboard the vessel Madleen, aiming to challenge Israel’s naval blockade and deliver humanitarian supplies. The flotilla follows a 15-year history of similar attempts, many of which have been intercepted or blocked by Israeli forces.
In February 2019, Greta Thunberg said that the EU's current intention to cut emissions by 40% by 2030 is "not sufficient to protect the future for children growing up today" and that the EU must reduce their CO2 emissions by 80%, double the 40% goal.
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