Teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg has refused to accept an environmental award until politicians stop “bragging” about environmental issues and make a significant commitment to tackling the climate crisis.
The 16-year-old was named the winner of the Nordic Council’s Environment Award – but turned it down, saying “the climate movement does not need any more awards”.
In a post on
Instagram, Thunberg – who is currently travelling through
California – said it was a “huge honour” to win the award.
But politicians and people in power must focus on the science around climate change, not awards, she wrote.
“The Nordic countries have a great reputation around the world when it comes to climate and environmental issues,” Thunberg said. View this post on InstagramI have received the Nordic Council’s environmental award 2019. I have decided to decline this prize. Here’s why: “I am currently traveling through California and therefore not able to be present with you today. I want to thank the Nordic Council for this award. It is a huge honour. But the climate movement does not need any more awards. What we need is for our politicians and the people in power start to listen to the current, best available science. The Nordic countries have a great reputation around the world when it comes to climate and environmental issues. There is no lack of bragging about this. There is no lack of beautiful words. But when it comes to our actual emissions and our ecological footprints per capita - if we include our consumption, our imports as well as aviation and shipping - then it’s a whole other story. In
Sweden we live as if we had about 4 planets according to WWF and Global Footprint Network. And roughly the same goes for the entire Nordic region. In Norway for instance, the government recently gave a record number of permits to look for new oil and gas. The newly opened oil and natural gas-field, ”Johan Sverdrup” is expected to produce oil and natural gas for 50 years; oil and gas that would generate global CO2 emissions of 1,3 tonnes. The gap between what the science says is needed to limit the increase of global temperature rise to below 1,5 or even 2 degrees - and politics that run the Nordic countries is gigantic. And there are still no signs whatsoever of the changes required. The
Paris Agreement, which all of the Nordic countries have signed, is based on the aspect of equity, which means that richer countries must lead the way. We belong to the countries that have the possibility to do the most. And yet our countries still basically do nothing. So until you start to act in accordance with what the science says is needed to limit the global temperature rise below 1,5 degrees or even 2 degrees celsius, I - and Fridays For Future in Sweden - choose not to accept the Nordic Councils environmental award nor the prize money of 500 000 Swedish kronor. Best wishes Greta Thunberg”A post shared by Greta Thunberg (@gretathunberg) on Oct 29, 2019 at 12:37pm PDT“There is no lack of bragging about this. There is no lack of beautiful words. But when it comes to our actual emissions and our ecological footprints per capita - if we include our consumption, our imports as well as aviation and shipping - then it’s a whole other story.”
In Sweden, people live as if “we had about four planets”, she continued, saying it was a trend seen across the Nordic region. The gap between the action scientists say is needed to limit the increase in global temperature and what politicians in these countries have pledged to do is “gigantic”.
Thunberg added: “We belong to the countries that have the possibility to do the most. And yet our countries still basically do nothing.
“So until you start to act in accordance with what the science says is needed to limit the global temperature rise below 1.5 degrees or even 2 degrees celsius, I - and Fridays For Future in Sweden - choose not to accept the Nordic Council’s environmental award nor the prize money of 500 000 Swedish kronor.”
The award is the latest in a series of recognitions for the teenage activist. Last week, a scientist named a newly-discovered species of beetle after Thunberg, saying he wanted to “acknowledge her outstanding contribution in raising awareness of environmental issues”.
She was also invited to speak at the UN in September, where she scolded world leaders for their lack of action on climate change. Related... Greta Thunberg To World Leaders At UN: 'You've Stolen My Childhood And Dreams' David Attenborough Sticks Up For 16-Year-Old Climate Change Activist Greta Thunberg