Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Friday, Apr 10, 2026

Greta Thunberg: Who is the climate campaigner and what are her aims?

Greta Thunberg: Who is the climate campaigner and what are her aims?

Environmental activist Greta Thunberg is in Glasgow, where the COP26 summit is taking place.

The 18-year-old is one of the world's best known climate campaigners.

What has she said about COP26?


Greta Thunberg has called the climate summit a "failure" and a "PR exercise".

She told a youth protest in Glasgow that world leaders had had "26 COPs, they have had decades of blah, blah, blah - and where has that got us?".

She has also criticised goals for cutting emissions which cause global warming, saying: "We don't just need goals for just 2030 or 2050. We, above all, need them for 2020 and every following month and year to come."

However, Thunberg has avoided getting into the detail of what action should be taken, saying "it is nothing to do with me".

Who is Greta Thunberg?


Thunberg became well-known after she protested outside the Swedish parliament in 2018, when she was 15.

She held a sign saying "School Strike for Climate", to pressure the government to meet carbon emissions targets.

Her small campaign had a global effect, inspiring thousands of young people across the world to organise their own strikes.

By December 2018, more than 20,000 students - from the UK to Japan - had joined her by skipping school to protest.

A year later, she received the first of three Nobel Peace Prize nominations for climate activism.

Greta Thunberg sailed the Atlantic to attend a UN conference in New York


Meeting world leaders


In 2019, Thunberg sailed across the Atlantic on a yacht to attend a UN climate conference in New York.

Delivering what is probably her most famous speech, she angrily told world leaders they were not doing enough.

"You all come to us young people for hope. How dare you? You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words," she said.

Thunberg was named Time Magazine's Person of the Year in December 2019.

What do people say about her?


Thunberg has received support from climate activists, scientists and public figures.

Broadcaster and naturalist Sir David Attenborough told her she has achieved things many others have failed to do, adding: "You have aroused the world. I'm very grateful to you."

Prince Harry praised Thunberg's campaigning, saying "every country, every community, every school, every friendship group, every family needs their own Greta".

Alok Sharma, the president of the COP26 summit, has said that Thunberg's UN speech in 2019 had made him feel "really uncomfortable" because it held up a "mirror" to his generation.

But not all politicians have been as complimentary.

Donald Trump tweeted that she should "work on her anger management problem" while Russian President Vladimir Putin described her as a "kind but poorly informed teenager".

The COP26 global climate summit in Glasgow in November is seen as crucial if climate change is to be brought under control. Almost 200 countries are being asked for their plans to cut emissions, and it could lead to major changes to our everyday lives.

What is her background?


Thunberg has Asperger syndrome, a developmental disorder, and has described it as a gift. She said being different can be a "superpower".

Thunberg's mother, Malena Ernman, is an opera singer and former Eurovision Song Contest participant.

Her father Svante Thunberg, is an actor and a descendant of the scientist who created a model of the greenhouse effect.


Watch as Greta Thunberg says she is still hopeful the world can achieve "massive changes" to combat climate change


Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Gulf States Assess Prospects of U.S.-Iran Truce as Regional Stability Efforts Intensify
South Korea Resumes Honey Exports to Saudi Arabia Following Sanitary Approval
Saudi Arabia Carries Out Sentences in Eastern Province Following Security Convictions
Saudi Sovereign Wealth Fund Backs King Street’s Regional Credit Strategy
Saudi Arabia Secures World Cup Return as Egypt Celebrates Landmark Qualification
Iran and Saudi Arabia Intensify Diplomatic Engagement Amid Regional Tensions
Russia and Saudi Arabia Open Visa-Free Travel Corridor for Citizens
Saudi Oil Output Capacity Reduced by 600,000 Barrels Per Day Amid Regional Conflict
Saudi Arabia Suspends Operations at Select Energy Sites as Precautionary Measure
Saudi Arabia Halts Operations at Multiple Energy Facilities Amid Heightened Tensions
Global Markets Jolt as Iran Signals Ceasefire Breakdown and Rising Regional Tensions
King Street Aligns with Saudi Sovereign Wealth Fund to Expand Alternative Investments in Middle East
Attack on Saudi Arabia’s Jubail Petrochemical Hub Raises Global Supply Concerns
Debate Emerges Over Saudi Strategic Decisions as Gulf Cooperation Council Dynamics Come Into Focus
Saudi Arabia Expands Full Workforce Localisation to 69 Professions in Major Labour Reform
Emerging Alliance of Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia Signals New Regional Power Dynamic Amid Iran Conflict
Iran Linked to Strikes Across Gulf States Following Refinery Attack Escalation
Saudi Arabia Voices Concern Over Fragile US–Iran Ceasefire Stability
Starmer Warns Sustained Effort Needed to Ensure US–Iran Ceasefire Holds
Saudi Arabia’s Key East-West Oil Pipeline Targeted Following Ceasefire Announcement
Iran Targets Saudi Arabia’s East-West Oil Pipeline in Escalating Regional Tensions
Trump Warns of Civilizational Stakes as Iran Halts Negotiations
Saudi Companies Expand Remote Work Measures Ahead of Iran-Related Security Concerns
Iran Warns of Strikes on Saudi Energy Infrastructure if US Targets Its Facilities
Iran Urges Civilians to Form Human Shields Around Nuclear Sites as Diplomatic Deadline Approaches
Saudi Arabia Raises Oil Prices to Record Premiums Amid Supply Pressures Linked to Iran Conflict
Key Saudi-Bahrain Causeway Closed Amid Heightened Security Concerns Linked to Iran
Formula One Calendar Gap Explained as Fans Await Next Grand Prix
Growing Strain on the Petrodollar System Comes Into Focus Amid Iran Conflict
Reported Strike on Saudi Arabia’s Jubail Complex Raises Global Energy Supply Concerns
FedEx Introduces New Digital Tool to Streamline Imports into Saudi Arabia
Iran Claims Strike on Saudi Arabia’s Jubail Petrochemical Complex Amid Rising Regional Tensions
Taiwan to Source Oil Shipments from Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Ports
Saudi Arabia Evacuates Riyadh Financial District as Precaution Amid Regional Tensions
Saudi Arabia Balances Ambitious Economic Vision Amid Regional Tensions and Financial Pressures
Budget Saudi Arabia Reports Strong Full-Year 2025 Financial Performance
Saudi Arabia Expands Investment in Capcom With Stake Reaching Six Percent
Saudi Arabia Assesses Significant Economic Impact From Regional Conflict Involving Iran
US Beef Secures Expanded Market Access in Saudi Arabia
Jordan and Saudi Arabia Declare Absolute Solidarity in Response to Iranian Threats
Saudi Arabia Raises Oil Prices to Record Premium Amid Strong Market Demand
California’s Salton Sea Emerges as Strategic Lithium Hub for Clean Energy Future
Iranian Drone Strike on US Embassy in Saudi Arabia Reportedly Targeted Intelligence Facility
Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Meets French Embassy Official to Strengthen Bilateral Engagement
Saudi Arabia Calls on United States to Seize Strategic Opportunity to Reshape Middle East
Dating Apps Surge in Saudi Arabia as Social Norms Rapidly Evolve Among Youth
Saudi Arabia Detains Over Fourteen Thousand Illegal Residents in Week-Long Enforcement Drive
Saudi Foreign Minister Engages in Diplomatic Talks with Pakistan, Kuwait and Latvia on Regional Developments
Saudi Arabia Intercepts Cruise Missile as Regional Tensions Intensify
Saudi Stock Market Edges Higher as Tadawul Index Records Modest Gain
×