Greta Thunberg

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Greta Thunberg was born to parents Sara

Magdalena Ernman ((known as Malena)


Greta Thunberg and Svante Thunberg in 2003. At the time of
Greta’s birth, her mother worked as a
Greta Thunberg is a Swedish student and climate world-renowned opera singer- travelling
activist. She campaigns to raise global awareness globally from their home in Sweden to
about climate change and its impact on the planet. perform in musicals and theatre shows.
Greta’s father also worked within the
Beginning of Awareness entertainment industry – just as his father
had before him – as an actor. When Greta
As a child, Greta recalls being taught to turn off was young, the family welcomed a new
lights to save electricity, not to waist water when attrition: Greta’s sister Beata.
brushing her teeth and not to throw away good
food. When she questioned why, Greta first heard
the words that would shape her later activism:
climate change. At first, Greta did not believe what
she had heard; surely, if humans know that they
can change the climate, they should simply stop
doing harmful things.
Why would they continue to do things like burn
fossil fuels, knowing that it pumps harmful
emissions into the environment? Yet, nobody
seemed to be doing anything about it.

Greta began to research further into climate


change – a passion she has, so far, pursued during
her teenage years. She began to make small
changes in her own life to reduce her carbon
footprint – her impact on the planet and the about of
emissions she is responsible for. She became a
vegan – omitting all animal products from her diet –
and stopped purchasing things unless they were
truly necessary.

In 2015, Greta also made the decision to stop flying in aeroplanes because of the impact it has on
the environment. All the while, Greta shared her findings with her family and they agreed to follow
suit; Greta’s mother, Malena, also decided to cease all air travel – ending her international career.

When Greta saw that her family had all made small changes too, this gave her hope and belief that
she could spread the word further and have a greater impact on the planet.

Fridays for Future

In 2018, when Greta was 15 years old, Sweden experienced the hottest summer since records
began 262 year before. Greta’s home country was struck by heat waves and wildfires to a
magnitude that she had never known. She knew then that she needed to act.
At the start of the new school year, Greta decided to strike and she vowed not to attend school for
three weeks. Instead, Greta began to protest by sitting outside the Swedish government building,
handing out leaflets about what Greta termed ‘the climate crisis’.

She was furious that governments


Support for Greta around the world – including her own –
were not doing everything that they
In February 2019, 224 scientists and academics could to stop climate change. News of her
from around the world agreed that Greta was noble protest quickly spread and attracted
in her actions and that her protests had their full attention both online and on TV.
support. As Greta’s popularity and influence grew, Teenagers around the world agreed with
she was invited to speak at prestigious events Greta and joined in with her protest.
around the world to share her concerns about
climate change. Greta’s speeches cover four main On 8th September 2018, Greta decided to
themes: continue to strike every Friday until her
government began to act. She started a
1. Global warming is so serious that it will lead movement known as Fridays For the
to the end of the world as we know it; Future, which has now seen over 5, 200
2. The current generation of adults are stealing strikes by young people around the
the future of young people by not acting. world who share Greta’s concern for the
3. We must act now if we want to change the future of their planet.
future;
4. Politicians and decision makers must listen Greta continues to travel the world via
to scientists if the world is to undo its eco-friendly transport in order to spread
mistakes before it is too late. the word about climate change.

Questions:

Consult the text and answer questions in your notebooks with the detail and evidence required.

1. What event coincided with Greta’s three-week strike?


2. In what year was Greta’s activism publicly supported by academics?
3. …passion she has, so far, pursued during her teenage years.
4. Look at he family life section. Find and copy one phrase which proves that Beata is younger
than Greta.
5. List two things that Greta recalls being taught as a child.
6. What did Greta’s grandfather do as a job? Explain how you know this.
7. Explain why Greta did not immediately believe what she had heard about climate change.
8. Summarise how Greta’s mother’s life has changed as a result of her daughter’s activism.
9. Discuss two aspects of Greta’s personality, using evidence from the text to support your
answer.
10. Explain how Greta’s family inspired her to take her activism to the global stage.

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