Sophia Hoermann
May 10, 20203 min
The threat of serious climate change is imminent and the world is facing an emergency. We need to change our approach, strive for a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle and realize that small changes can make a huge impact. We should not forget to celebrate environmental heroes who are tirelessly working toward their goal of combating climate change for all our sakes.
Greta Thunberg – “Skolstrjk för klimatet“
Thunberg was catapulted into the spotlight of climate activism in 2018 when she chose to stand outside the Swedish parliament every Friday holding a sign that read “school strike for climate.” She promised to continue protesting until the Swedish government met the carbon emission target agreed by world leaders in Paris in 2015.
She succeeded in accumulating more than 2 million followers in her mission and initiated the “school strike for climate” movement, which millions of students worldwide have participated in. By December 2018, more than 20,000 students around the world joined her in Australia, the UK, Belgium, the U.S. and Japan. She participated in many strikes around Europe, choosing to travel by train to limit her impact on the environment. She has also been nominated by the Norwegian parliament for a Nobel Peace Prize and was named Time Magazine’s Person of the Year in 2019.
According to Thunberg speaking to the BBC in 2018: “It felt like I was the only one who cared about the ecological crisis.”
What does she aim to achieve?
Thunberg argues that large businesses and governments worldwide are not acting quickly enough to cut carbon emissions and has attacked world leaders for failing young people. She has called for governments around the world to cut global emissions. She has spoken at multiple international meetings including the United Nation’s 2019 climate change gathering in New York and this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Thunberg wants businesses to stop investing and subsidising fossil fuels: “Instead, they should invest their money in existing sustainable technologies, research and in restoring nature.”
Other inspiring environmentalists:
Alexandria Ocasio Cortez - In February 2019 the newly elected Representative Ocasio submitted the Green New Deal to the U.S. House of Representatives where she called for a net-zero greenhouse gas goal to modify every building in the U.S. to meet new standards of energy efficiency.
Lise Kingo (CEO & Executive Director of the United Nations Global Compact) - The United Nations Global Compact is the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative. It is working cooperatively to limit the global temperature change to just 1.5°C.
David Attenborough (broadcaster, natural historian, environmentalist) - Attenborough has brought the natural world to our television screens through countless natural environment programmes with the BBC. He has been tirelessly dedicated to protecting the environment for decades. His mission to broadcast the beauty of the world and our need to protect it is nothing short of spectacular.
According to Attenborough: “An understanding of the natural world and what’s in it is a source of not only a great curiosity but great fulfilment.”
What can you do to help?
Do some further reading to find out about other influential environmentalists and inform yourself about their achievements.
Understand that small changes have a big impact.
Read our other blogs and contact us if you have any questions.
Inform your friends & family and make sure you commit to the climate cause!