Greta Thunberg, who currently has the loudest voice in climate activism, has rejected an award that recognizes her contribution to the climate movement.
The 16-year-old declined to accept the recognition saying that the climate movement needs world leaders to “listen” to “science” and not awards. Thunberg was honored at an awards ceremony in her hometown, Stockholm. It was held by Nordic Council, a regional body for inter-parliamentary cooperation, as per The Guardian.
Both Sweden and Norway had nominated her for the prize and she ended up winning the Nordic Council’s yearly environment award. Shortly after the prize was presented, Thunberg’s representative addressed the audience saying the teenage activist would not accept the award. This includes prize money of 350,000 Danish kroner or nearly $52,000 according to a report by the TT news agency.
Thunberg then released a personal statement about the matter on Instagram. In the post published from the United States, she wrote: “The climate movement does not need any more awards.”
She then emphasized what the movement really needs writing, “What we need is for our politicians and the people in power start to listen to the current, best available science.”
Although Thunberg expressed her gratitude for being awarded the “huge honour” she also threw criticisms at Nordic countries saying that they failed to live up to their “great reputation” on climate action.
“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 … then it’s a whole other story,” Thunberg said.
