Thanks, but no thanks: Greta Thunberg turns down award
Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg has declined to accept a Nordic environmental prize, urging the people in power to start to listen to the science rather than handing out awards.
Scroll down to read Thunberg's argument in her own words.
The young climate activist, who has rallied millions to her Fridays for Future movement, was honoured at a Stockholm ceremony held by the Nordic Council, a regional body for inter-parliamentary cooperation.
Thunberg had been nominated for her efforts by both Sweden and Norway and won the organization's annual environment prize.
But after it was announced, a representative for her told the audience that she would not accept the award or the prize sum of 350,000 Danish kroner (about $52,000), the TT news agency reported.
She addressed the decision in a post on Instagram from the United States.
"The climate movement does not need any more awards," she wrote.
"What we need is for our politicians and the people in power start to listen to the current, best available science."
While thanking the Nordic Council for the "huge honour", she also criticized Nordic countries for not living up to their "great reputation" on climate issues.
"There is no lack of bragging about this. There is no lack of beautiful words. But when it comes to our actual emissions and our ecological footprints per capita… then it's a whole other story," Thunberg said.
Still only 16 years old, Thunberg rose to prominence after she started spending her Fridays outside Sweden's parliament in August 2018, holding a sign reading "School strike for climate".
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Scroll down to read Thunberg's argument in her own words.
The young climate activist, who has rallied millions to her Fridays for Future movement, was honoured at a Stockholm ceremony held by the Nordic Council, a regional body for inter-parliamentary cooperation.
Thunberg had been nominated for her efforts by both Sweden and Norway and won the organization's annual environment prize.
But after it was announced, a representative for her told the audience that she would not accept the award or the prize sum of 350,000 Danish kroner (about $52,000), the TT news agency reported.
She addressed the decision in a post on Instagram from the United States.
"The climate movement does not need any more awards," she wrote.
"What we need is for our politicians and the people in power start to listen to the current, best available science."
While thanking the Nordic Council for the "huge honour", she also criticized Nordic countries for not living up to their "great reputation" on climate issues.
"There is no lack of bragging about this. There is no lack of beautiful words. But when it comes to our actual emissions and our ecological footprints per capita… then it's a whole other story," Thunberg said.
Still only 16 years old, Thunberg rose to prominence after she started spending her Fridays outside Sweden's parliament in August 2018, holding a sign reading "School strike for climate".
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