Greta Thunberg began learning about climate change as a schoolgirl in Sweden at the age of 8. The more she learned, the more she wondered why so little was being done about it. When Greta was 15, she started a school strike to bring attention to the issue. She sat alone and held up a sign which said “School Strike for Climate” to encourage the Swedish government to meet its carbon emissions target. Slowly but surely, like-minded people copied her action and became known as “Fridays for Future” or “School Strike for Climate”. Hundreds of thousands of young people worldwide were inspired by her and copied her strike protest.

When she was 16, Greta was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and was named TIME Magazine’s Person of the Year, becoming one of the world’s most influential people. Since then, she has continued campaigning for awareness and action on climate change.

Greta takes personal responsibility for her actions and beliefs. She is a vegan and doesn’t use aircraft, as both raising livestock and flying airplanes can emit gases that contribute to climate change. She even travelled across the Atlantic by yacht to attend a UN conference in New York.

Greta has also raised awareness about a disorder she has been diagnosed with – Asperger’s Syndrome. This condition can cause problems with social and communication skills, including challenges with reading body language. It is now considered to be part of the broader autism spectrum. However, Greta has also recognised the strengths it can give her, saying, “I have Asperger’s, and that means I’m sometimes a bit different from the norm. And – given the right circumstances – being different is a superpower.”