Greta Thunberg, the young climate activist from Sweden, has inspired millions around the globe with her uncompromising stance on climate change and her rallying cry for immediate action. Despite her youth (or perhaps, through her youth), she’s sparked a worldwide movement, urging us all to understand that when it comes to preserving our planet, there’s no time left to wait around.
Her stirring speeches at various global platforms, her candid dialogues with world leaders, and her impactful “School Strike for Climate” (or “Fridays for Future”) initiative have made her a powerful voice for the Earth.
Countless activists, educators, politicians, and ordinary folks have been moved by her words, leading them to reconsider their roles in contributing to climate change and what they can do to halt its disastrous effects.
We’ve gathered some of Greta Thunberg's most inspiring quotes right here — encapsulating her profound wisdom, youthful spirit, and tenacious resolve.
Whether you’re a seasoned environmentalist or someone just starting to understand the gravity of the climate crisis, these quotes will motivate you to take action for the future of our planet. Dive in to experience Greta’s courageous voice calling for change:
The Best Greta Thunberg Quotes
Famous Quotes
“I have learned you are never too small to make a difference.”
— Greta Thunberg
“I have promised myself that I’m going to do everything I can for as long as I can.”
— Greta Thunberg
“Our civilization is being sacrificed for the opportunity of a very small number of people to continue making enormous amounts of money. Our biosphere is being sacrificed so that rich people in countries like mine can live in luxury. It is the sufferings of the many which pay for the luxuries of the few.”
— Greta Thunberg, in a speech at the UN Climate Change COP24 Conference, 2018
“To all of you who choose to look the other way every day because you seem more frightened of the changes that can prevent catastrophic climate change than the catastrophic climate change itself. Your silence is almost worst of all.”
— Greta Thunberg
“We have not come here to beg world leaders to care. You have ignored us in the past and you will ignore us again. You’ve run out of excuses and we’re running out of time. We’ve come here to let you know that change is coming whether you like it or not. The real power belongs to the people.”
— Greta Thunberg, in a speech at the UN Climate Change COP24 Conference, 2018
“We children are doing this to wake the adults up. We children are doing this for you to put your differences aside and start acting as you would in a crisis. We children are doing this because we want our hopes and dreams back.”
— Greta Thunberg, in a speech at the House of Parliament, 2019
“In the year 2078, I will celebrate my 75th birthday. If I have children or grandchildren, maybe they will spend that day with me. Maybe they will ask me about you, the people who were around back in 2018. Maybe they will ask why you didn’t do anything while there still was time to act. What we do or don’t do right now will affect my entire life and the lives of my children and grandchildren. What we do or don’t do right now, me and my generation can’t undo in the future.”
— Greta Thunberg, in a TED Talk
About Climate Change
“Solving the climate crisis is the greatest and most complex challenge that Homo sapiens have ever faced. The main solution, however, is so simple that even a small child can understand it. We have to stop our emissions of greenhouse gases. And either we do that or we don’t.”
— Greta Thunberg, in a speech at the World Economic Forum, 2019
“The climate crisis is both the easiest and the hardest issue we have ever faced. The easiest because we know what we must do. We must stop the emissions of greenhouse gases. The hardest because our current economics are still totally dependent on burning fossil fuels, and thereby destroying ecosystems in order to create everlasting economic growth.”
— Greta Thunberg, in a speech at the House of Parliament, 2019
“Once you fully realise the situation then you will know what to do. And then spread that information to others. Then there are lots of things you can do in your everyday life. Going vegan, stop flying and have shop-stop for instance. Of course we need a system change. But I believe that you cannot have system change without individual change.”
— Greta Thunberg, in an interview with The Guardian
“There are thousands of ways to take action. For example, plant trees, pick up litter, join an organization or movement that makes a difference and especially try to influence adults and put pressure on people in power. I started my activism at home, changing my parents’ and relatives’ habits and ways of thinking.”
— Greta Thunberg, in an interview with The Guardian
“I don’t use any animal products, both because of ethical and environmental and climate reasons.”
— Greta Thunberg, in an interview with Democracy Now!
Powerful Quotes
“I’m telling you there is hope. I have seen it, but it does not come from the governments or corporations. It comes from the people.”
— Greta Thunberg, in a speech at COP25, 2019
“We live in a strange world, where no one dares to look beyond our current political systems even though it’s clear that the answers we seek will not be found within the politics of today… Where everyone can choose their own reality and buy their own truth… We live in a strange world. But it’s the world that my generation has been handed. It’s the only world we’ve got.”
— Greta Thunberg, in an acceptance speech at the 2019 Goldene Kamera Awards
“Why are we not reducing our emissions? Why are they, in fact, still increasing? Are we knowingly causing a mass extinction? Are we evil? No, of course not. People keep doing what they do because the vast majority doesn’t have a clue about the consequences of our everyday life. And they don’t know the rapid changes required.”
— Greta Thunberg, in a speech at the Declaration of Rebellion, Parliament Square, 2018
“My message to all the activists is to just keep going, and I know it really may seem impossible and hopeless sometimes — it always does — so you just have to keep going because if you try hard enough and long enough you will make a difference.”
— Greta Thunberg
“We must change almost everything in our current societies. The bigger your carbon footprint — the bigger your moral duty. The bigger your platform — the bigger your responsibility. Adults keep saying: ‘We owe it to the young people to give them hope.’ But I don’t want your hope. I don’t want you to be hopeful. I want you to panic. I want you to feel the fear I feel every day. And then I want you to act. I want you to act as you would in a crisis. I want you to act as if our house is on fire. Because it is.”
— Greta Thunberg, in the “Our House Is On Fire” speech at the World Economic Forum, 2019
“To do your best is no longer good enough. We now have to do the seemingly impossible.”
— Greta Thunberg
“Today we use 100 million barrels of oil every day. There are no politics to change that. There are no rules to keep that oil in the ground. So we can’t save the world by playing by the rules. Because the rules have to be changed. Everything needs to change. And it has to start today. So everyone out there: it is now time for civil disobedience. It is time to rebel.”
— Greta Thunberg, in a TEd Talk
“My message is that if we do not care about the climate crisis and if we do not act now then almost no other question is going to matter in the future.”
— Greta Thunberg
“We all have a choice. We can create transformational action that will safeguard the living conditions for future generations. Or we can continue with our business as usual and fail.”
— Greta Thunberg, in a speech at the World Economic Forum, 2019
Short Quotes
“We can’t just choose to tell some facts and not others because we don’t want to upset people. We have to tell it like it is.”
— Greta Thunberg
“It is our future on the line, and we must at least have a say in it.”
— Greta Thunberg
“When haters go after your looks and differences, it means they have nowhere left to go. And then you know you’re winning!”
— Greta Thunberg, in a tweet
“You must take action. You must do the impossible. Because giving up is never an option.”
— Greta Thunberg
“You say that you love your children above everything else. And yet you are stealing their future.”
— Greta Thunberg, in a speech at UN Climate Change COP24 Conference, 2018
“Being young is a great advantage, since we see the world from a new perspective and we are not afraid to make radical changes.”
— Greta Thunberg, in an interview with The Guardian
More Quotes
“We’ve had 30 years of pep-talking and selling positive ideas and I’m sorry but it doesn’t work. Because if it would have, emissions would have gone down by now. They haven’t. And yes, we do need hope, of course, we do. But the one thing we need more than hope is action. Once we start to act, hope is everywhere. So instead of looking for hope, look for action. Then, and only then, hope will come.”
— Greta Thunberg
“I mean, people aren’t continuing like this and not doing anything because they are evil, or because they don’t want to. We aren’t destroying the biosphere because we are selfish. We are doing it simply because we are unaware.”
— Greta Thunberg
“We are not going to be satisfied by politicians saying ‘we support you’ and then walking away. We won’t be satisfied until they meet our demands and act. That’s why simply taking a selfie or posting support on Twitter isn’t enough. That’s why we have to keep striking.”
— Greta Thunberg
“Nor does hardly anyone ever mention that we are in the midst of the sixth mass extinction, with about 200 species going extinct every single day. That the extinction rate is today between 1000 and 10,000 times higher than what is seen as normal.”
— Greta Thunberg
“My message is that we'll be watching you. This is all wrong. I shouldn’t be up here. I should be back in school on the other side of the ocean. Yet you all come to us young people for hope. How dare you. You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words. Yet I am one of the lucky ones. People are suffering.”
— Greta Thunberg, in a speech at UN Climate Action Summit, 2019
