Vegan climate activist Greta Thunberg was selected as the recipient of this year’s Environment Prize awarded by the Nordic Council. Thunberg rejected the prize, along with the prize money, instead taking to social media to demand that governments do more to fight the climate crisis.

 
 
 
 
 
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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”

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“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 honor,” Thunberg posted to Instagram. “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.” Thunberg encouraged the government of her home country of Sweden, along those in the entire Nordic region, to enact meaningful policies that reduce their carbon footprint substantially. “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,” Thunberg said. “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 … 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 (approximately $54,000).” The 16-year-old activist signed her Instagram note to the Nordic Council, “Best wishes, Greta Thunberg.” The Nordic Council is now discussing how it will allocate the prize money.

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Photo Credit: Greta Thunberg/FB