- Title: Greta Thunberg: How one school girl's climate change campaign recruited millions
- Date: 29th August 2019
- Summary: Protests directly inspired by Thunberg take place across more than 30 countries, from Sweden to Brazil, India and the United States. Thousands of students skip school and take to the streets and are joined by Thunberg in cities such as Paris and Hamburg. Students accuse political leaders of not taking resolute action to curb climate change and call for drastic measures. PARIS, FRANCE (FILE - FEBRUARY 22, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF SCHOOL STUDENTS INCLUDING THUNBERG DURING "STRIKE FOR CLIMATE' MARCH" / THUNBERG STANDING WITH BELGIAN CLIMATE ACTIVIST WITH ANUNA DE WEVER (LEFT OF THUNBERG) PLACARD READING (English) "There is no Planet B." HAMBURG, GERMANY (FILE-MARCH 1, 2019) (REUTERS) THUNBERG AT HEAD OF DEMONSTRATION BEHIND BANNER READING (English): "March now or swim later." THUNBERG AT HEAD OF DEMONSTRATION CLIMATE MARCH MOVING ALONG STREET (SOUNDBITE) (English) CLIMATE ACTIVIST, GRETA THUNBERG, SAYING: "For way too long, the politicians and the people in power have gotten away with not doing anything to fight the climate crisis. But we will make sure that they will not get away with it any longer. We will continue to school-strike until they do something." In March, Thunberg is nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. The number of students taking part in school strikes hits more than two million people across 135 countries. STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN (FILE - MARCH 8, 2019) (REUTERS) THUNBERG WALKING TO THE SITE OF A SMALL PROTEST CARRYING A PLACARD READING (Swedish) "School strike for the climate." (SOUNDBITE) (English) CLIMATE ACTIVIST, GRETA THUNBERG, SAYING: "My name is Greta Thunberg, I am 16-years-old and I am from Sweden, and every Friday I am school striking for the climate outside the Swedish parliament alongside hundreds of thousands of other children from all around the world." VARIOUS OF THUNBERG SITTING AT PROTEST WITH PARLIAMENT IN THE BACKGROUND
- Embargoed: 12th September 2019 19:55
- Keywords: Greta Thunberg Climate activism Sweden U.N climate politics global warming Fridays for Future
- Location: VARIOUS LOCATIONS
- City: VARIOUS LOCATIONS
- Country: Various
- Topics: Environment,Editors' Choice,Climate Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA007AUAJM13
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg pioneered a climate change campaign that swelled from a one-person school strike by the then 15-year-old to a worldwide movement, drawing in millions of school children, and adults too, who are demanding action on climate change.
Thunberg first drew attention in August, 2019 when she skipped school to protest outside Swedish parliament each Friday.
The teen activist was soon joined by a small group of other school strikers in Stockholm, before the campaign attracted tens of thousands of students in more than 24 countries, taking part in Friday school strikes around the world.
By March 2019, the number of students taking part in worldwide Friday demonstrations hit more than two million across 135 countries.
The now 16-year-old has since been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize, named one of the world's most influential people by Time magazine and appeared on its cover. Thunberg has also been awarded a the French Normandy Freedom Prize.
In less than a year since starting the "Fridays for Future" campaign, Thunberg has addressed European Parliament, met Pope Francis and addressed the UK's House of Commons.
In August, 2019, Thunberg sailed into New York Harbour on a zero-carbon emissions vessel, completing a nearly 14-day journey from England to take part in a United Nations climate summit. Meanwhile, the total number of climate strikers reached 3.6 million people across 169 countries.
(Production: Aiden Nulty, Lucy Marks) - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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