Greta Thunberg declines the Nordic Council Environment Prize award: The world needs more action, fewer awards

Teen climate change activist Greta Thunberg has refused to accept the 2019 Nordic council Environment prize. A representative for Greta Thunberg told the audience she would not be accepting the award or the prize money.

Thunberg took to Instagram to thank the Nordic Council and acknowledged that it was a huge honor. She went on to say that she would not be accepting the award, however, as “the climate movement does not need any more awards.”

According to he post, ‘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.’

View this post on Instagram

I 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

The teenager has been vocal in her efforts to bring attention to climate change. She has rallied millions to her Fridays for Future movement. Her work has received recognition throughout the world in form of a string of awards. She added her sincere hope that those in power would heed the warnings of climate scientists.

“What we need is for our politicians and the people in power start to listen to the current, best available science.”

Greta Thunberg Calls for Action

While praising Norway for its efforts in fighting climate change, Greta Thunberg emphasized the need to limit emissions and called for more climate preservation efforts.

“The Nordic countries have a great reputation around the world when it comes to climate and environmental issues,” she said in a written message on Instagram. “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.”

ALSO READ: Greta Thunberg Thunders “How Dare You?” At UN Climate Summit