Three Norwegian lawmakers have nominated teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg for the Nobel Peace Prize.
The 16-year-old began the global Climate Strike movement – with school students around the world leaving class to demand real action from politicians on climate change.
Ms Thunberg began the movement last year by refusing to go to school and instead making her way to the Swedish Parliament to protest on her own.
She has spent almost every Friday since August protesting outside the building and demanding that politicians bring Sweden in line with the Paris climate agreement.
Climate Strike
Over the months she has inspired students around the world to get involved – with strikes expected in 1,659 towns and countries in 105 countries around the world tomorrow, March 15th.
This afternoon Norwegian MP Freddy André Øvstegård and two colleagues said they had nominated Ms Thunberg for the Nobel Prize.
“We have proposed Greta Thunberg because if we do nothing to halt climate change it will be the cause of wars, conflict and refugees,” Mr Øvstegård told the Guardian.
“Greta Thunberg has launched a mass movement which I see as a major contribution to peace.”
Greta Thunberg
Honoured and very grateful for this nomination ❤️ https://t.co/axO4CAFXcz
— Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) March 14, 2019
On Twitter, Ms Thunberg said she is “honoured and very grateful” for the nomination.
“Tomorrow we schoolstrike for our future,” she said. “And we will continue to do so for as long as it takes.
“Adults are more than welcome to join us. Unite behind the science.”
Students from across Ireland are set to join tomorrow’s global Schools Strike for Climate Action.
There will be marches in Dublin and Cork as well as strike events outside local authority offices from Tralee to Donegal.
Share this with everyone you know! We March on the 15th. @FFFireland @pullthebrakes #climatestrike #ClimateAction #climatechange #SchoolStrike4Climate pic.twitter.com/U3Tdt0ANBc
— Fridays For Future Dublin (@SchoolStrikesIE) February 27, 2019
The Climate Minister Richard Bruton has welcomed the Irish action.
A spokesperson for the minister said: “Minister Bruton welcomes the passion and enthusiasm among young people for what is our biggest challenge globally.
“The decisions we take now will define the next century and the voices of our young people must be heard.
“The minister is currently developing an all of government plan to make Ireland a leader in responding to climate change, which will be published shortly.”
The Nobel Committee doesn’t publicly comment on the identity of nominations.
It said there were 301 people nominated for this year’s prize which had to be submitted by February 1st.
The list includes 223 individuals and 78 organisations.
