Greta Thunberg wins ‘alternative Nobel Prize’

Greta Thunberg has won Sweden’s alternative Nobel Prize – the Right Livelihood Award – for her climate activism.

Along with three adult winners, the 16-year-old was recognised “for inspiring and amplifying political demands for urgent climate action reflecting scientific facts”.

She shares this year's award with Davi Kopenawa, a Brazilian indigenous leader, who has fought to protect the Amazon rainforest, Guo Jianmei, a Chinese women’s rights lawyer and Aminatou Haidar, a Western Sahara human rights defender.

“With the 2019 Right Livelihood Award, we honour four practical visionaries whose leadership has empowered millions of people to defend their inalienable rights and to strive for a liveable future for all on planet Earth,” a foundation spokesperson said.

Each winner will receive one million Swedish crowns (£82,700).

On Monday, Ms Thunberg opened the UN climate summit in New York with an impassioned speech in which she condemned the world leaders assembled before her.

“This is all wrong,” she began. “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.”

The 16-year-old climate change activist added: “People are suffering. People are dying.

“And all you can talk about is money and fairy tales of eternal economic growth. How dare you.”

The schoolgirl travelled to the New York summit by boat.

She gained global attention after beginning a solitary climate protest outside the Swedish parliament a year ago.

Ms Thunberg has inspired activists around the world, especially youngsters, to protest against the failure of governments to combat climate change.

Last Friday, millions of young people took to the streets to demand that leaders attending the summit take emergency action on the issue.

Ms Thunberg has also been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Swedish and Norwegian lawmakers.

Additional reporting by agencies

Read more

Laura Ingraham’s brother slams her ‘monstrous’ Greta Thunberg insult

Greta Thunberg hits back at Trump jibe with new Twitter bio

Fox apologises to Greta Thunberg after pundit calls her ‘mentally ill’

Greta Thunberg glares at Donald Trump arriving at United Nations