- Title: Greta Thunberg, a possible contender for the 2019 peace prize
- Date: 29th August 2019
- Summary: PLYMOUTH, ENGLAND, UK (AUGUST 14, 2019) (REUTERS) PEOPLE BOARDING YACHT FROM JETTY
- Embargoed: 12th September 2019 19:55
- Keywords: EU Parliament climate politics Fridays for Future Greta Thunberg Sweden global warming U.N trans-atlantic Congress Pope Francis Climate activism Barack Obama
- Location: VARIOUS LOCATIONS
- City: VARIOUS LOCATIONS
- Country: Various
- Topics: Environment,Editors' Choice,Climate Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA00HAUAJM13
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Climate activist Greta Thunberg is a possible contender for the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize.
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 2018 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 at the French Normandy Freedom Prize and Amnesty International's Ambassador of Conscience Award.
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.
During her first visit to the United States, Thunberg met with former president Barack Obama, the President of the United Nations General Assembly Maria Fernanda Espinosa and addressed Congress, where she told them to "wake up" and "listen to the science".
The Nobel Peace Prize will be announced in Oslo on Friday, October 11, at 1100 a.m. (0900GMT) and the prize, worth 9 million Swedish crowns ($ 1.12 million), will be handed over on December 10, 2019.
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