In August 2018, Greta Thunberg walked out of class. She was only 15 years old at the time but she managed to organize a strike to raise awareness about global warming and even inspired over 20,000 students from across 270 cities to do the same. For three weeks, she picketed outside the Swedish parliament. Her thinking was why should she work hard on her education when the climate crisis is robbing her of her future? Her demands were simple: for the Swedish government to reduce emissions as per the Paris Agreement. In her words, “the climate crisis has already been solved. We already have the facts and solutions. All we have to do is wake up and change.” She didn’t return to school until after her country’s general election in September 2018. By that point, she had gained global fame as a climate activist and has continued down her trailblazing path ever since. She even called out the many delegates, leaders, and celebrities at this year’s World Economic Forum for travelling to Davos via private jet. Witness this young woman’s courageous and fearless leadership in her TEDTalk, “The disarming case to act right now on climate change.”
Also, read her call to action in this Washington Post piece co-written by Costa Rican diplomat, Christiana Figueres.