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The Dark Knight (2008)

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Set within a year after the events of Batman Begins (2005), Batman, Lieutenant James Gordon, and new District Attorney Harvey Dent successfully begin to round up the criminals that plague Gotham City, until a mysterious and sadistic criminal mastermind known only as "The Joker" appears in Gotham, creating a new wave of chaos. Batman's struggle against The Joker becomes deeply personal, forcing him to "confront everything he believes" and improve his technology to stop him. A love triangle develops between Bruce Wayne, Dent, and Rachel Dawes. - Leon Lombardi

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The Dark Knight: Directed by Christopher Nolan. With Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine. When the menace known as the Joker wreaks havoc and chaos on the people of Gotham, Batman must accept one of the greatest psychological and physical tests of his ability to fight injustice.

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Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell

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Outliers: The Story of Success [Gladwell, Malcolm] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Outliers: The Story of Success

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Follow the Leader Suli Breaks

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Follow the leader | Suli Breaks | TEDxHousesofParliament

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Greta Thunberg

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Greta Tintin Eleonora Ernman Thunberg (Swedish pronunciation: [ˈɡrêːtaˈtʉ̂ːnbærj] TOON-berry; born 3 January 2003) is a Swedish environmental activist known for challenging world leaders to take immediate action to mitigate the effects of human-caused climate change.

Born in Stockholm, Thunberg's climate activism began when she persuaded her parents to adopt lifestyle choices that reduced her family's carbon footprint. In August 2018, aged 15, Thunberg began skipping school, vowing to remain out of school until after a Swedish election to attempt to influence the outcome. She protested outside the Swedish parliament where she called for stronger action on climate change by holding up a Skolstrejk för Klimatet ( School Strike for Climate) sign and handing out informational flyers. After the election, Thunberg spoke in front of supporters, telling them to use phones to film her. She then said she would continue school striking for the climate every Friday until Sweden was in compliance with the Paris climate agreement. Thunberg's youth and blunt speaking manner fueled her rise to the status of a global icon.

After Thunberg's first school strike for the climate, other students engaged in similar protests. They united and organized the school strike for climate movement. After Thunberg addressed the 2018 United Nations Climate Change Conference, weekly climate strike protests took place on Fridays around the world. In 2019, coordinated multi-city protests involved over a million students each. To avoid carbon-intensive flying, Thunberg sailed on a carbon-free yacht from England to New York where she addressed the 2019 UN Climate Action Summit. In her speech, Thunberg scolded the world's leaders by exclaiming " How dare you" in reference to their perceived indifference and inaction to the climate crisis. Her admonishment made worldwide headlines. After Thunberg graduated from high school in 2023, her activism continued to gain international attention and her protest tactics have become increasingly assertive. As an adult, her protests have included both peaceful demonstrations and acts of civil disobedience such as defying lawful orders to disperse, which have led to arrests, convictions, and an acquittal. Thunberg's activism has evolved to include other causes, supporting Ukraine, Palestine, Armenia and Western Sahara in their respective conflicts with Russia, Israel, Azerbaijan and Morocco.

Thunberg's rise to world fame made her an ad hoc leader in the climate activist community. She faced heavy criticism, especially due to her age. Thunberg's influence on the world stage has been described by The Guardian and other media as the "Greta effect". She has received honours and awards, including in 's 100 most influential people, named the youngest Time Person of the Year in 2019, inclusion in the Forbes list of The World's 100 Most Powerful Women (2019), and nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Greta Tintin Eleonora Ernman Thunberg was born on 3 January 2003, in Stockholm, Sweden, to opera singer Malena Ernman and actor Svante Thunberg. Her paternal grandfather was actor and director Olof Thunberg. As explained by , "with a thespian father" and singer mother, "it is perhaps unsurprising that [Thunberg] has a slightly unusual name.... Thunberg shares her second name with the adventuring creation of Belgian cartoonist Georges Remi, better known as Hergé." She has a younger sister, Beata.

Thunberg says she first heard about climate change in 2011, when she was eight years old, and could not understand why so little was being done about it. The situation depressed her, and as a result, at the age of 11, she stopped talking and eating much and lost ten kilograms (22 lb) in two months. Eventually, she was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and selective mutism. In one of her first speeches demanding climate action, Thunberg described her selective mutism as meaning she "only speaks when necessary".

For about two years, Thunberg challenged her parents to lower the family's carbon footprint and overall impact on the environment by becoming vegan, upcycling, and giving up flying. She has said she showed them graphs and data, but when that did not work, she warned her family that they were stealing her future. Giving up flying in part meant her mother had to abandon international ventures in her opera career. Interviewed in December 2019 by the BBC, her father said: "To be honest, [her mother] didn't do it to save the climate. She did it to save her child, because she saw how much it meant to her, and then, when she did that, she saw how much [Greta] grew from that, how much energy she got from it." Thunberg credits her parents' eventual response and lifestyle changes with giving her hope and belief that she could make a difference. Asked in September 2021 whether she felt guilty about ending her mother's international career, she was surprised by the question: "It was her choice. I didn't make her do anything. I just provided her with the information to base her decision on." The family's story is recounted in the 2018 book Scenes from the Heart, updated in 2020 as Our House Is on Fire: Scenes of a Family and a Planet in Crisis, with contributions from the girls, and the whole family credited as authors.

Strike at the Riksdag

Thunberg in front of the Swedish parliament, holding a "Skolstrejk för klimatet " (transl. School Strike for the Climate) sign, Stockholm, August 2018

Bicycle in Stockholm with references to Thunberg: "The climate crisis must be treated as a crisis! The climate is the most important election issue!" (11 September 2018)

Sign in Berlin, 14 December 2018

Thunberg speaking at the annual climate conference, Austrian World Summit, 2019

In August 2018, Thunberg began the school climate strikes and public speeches for which she has become an internationally recognized climate activist. In an interview with Amy Goodman of Democracy Now!, she said she got the idea of a climate strike after school shootings in the United States in February 2018 led several youths to refuse to return to school. These teen activists at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, went on to organize the March for Our Lives in support of greater gun control. In May 2018, Thunberg won a climate change essay competition held by Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet. In part, she wrote: "I want to feel safe. How can I feel safe when I know we are in the greatest crisis in human history?"

After the paper published her article, Thunberg was contacted by Bo Thorén from Fossil Free Dalsland, a group interested in doing something about climate change. Thunberg attended a few of their meetings. At one of them, Thorén suggested that school children could strike for climate change. Thunberg tried to persuade other young people to get involved but "no one was really interested", so eventually she decided to go ahead with the strike by herself.

On 20 August 2018, Thunberg, who had just started ninth grade, decided not to attend school until the 2018 Swedish general election on 9 September; her protest began after the heat waves and wildfires during Sweden's hottest summer in at least 262 years. Her demands were that the Swedish government reduce carbon emissions in accordance with the Paris Agreement, and she protested by sitting outside the Riksdag every day for three weeks during school hours with the sign Skolstrejk för klimatet ("School strike for climate").

Thunberg said her teachers were divided about her missing class to make her point. She says: "As people, they think what I am doing is good, but as teachers, they say I should stop."

Throughout the autumn of 2018, Thunberg's activism evolved from a solitary protest to taking part in demonstrations throughout Europe, making several high-profile public speeches, and mobilizing her followers on social media platforms. In December, after Sweden's 2018 general election, Thunberg continued to school strike - but only on Fridays. She inspired school students across the globe to take part in her Friday school strikes. In December alone, more than 20,000 students held strikes in at least 270 cities.

Thunberg spoke out against the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate) 2020 and Joint Entrance Examination 2020 entrance exams, which were conducted in India in September. She said it was unfair for students to have to appear for exams during a global pandemic. She also said that India's students had been deeply impacted by the floods that hit states such as Bihar and Assam, which caused mass destruction.

On 3 February 2021, Thunberg tweeted her support of the ongoing 2020-2021 Indian farmers' protest. Effigies of Thunberg were burned in Delhi by nationalists who opposed the farmers' protests. Thunberg's tweet was criticized by the BJP-led Indian government, which said that it was an internal matter. In her initial tweet, Thunberg linked to a document that provided a campaigning toolkit for those who wanted to support the farmers' protest. It contained advice on hashtags and how to sign petitions, and it also included suggested actions beyond those directly linked to the farmers' protest. She soon deleted the tweet, saying the document was "outdated", and linked to a different one "to enable anyone unfamiliar with the ongoing farmers protests in India to better understand the situation and make decisions on how to support the farmers based on their own analysis". The Indian climate activist who edited the toolkit, Disha Ravi, was arrested under the charges of sedition and criminal conspiracy on 16 February 2021.

Protests and speeches in Europe

Thunberg's speech during the plenary session of the 2018 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP24) went viral. She said that the world leaders present were "not mature enough to tell it like it is". In the first half of 2019, she joined various student protests around Europe, and was invited to speak at various forums and parliaments. At the January 2019 World Economic Forum, Thunberg gave a speech in which she declared: "Our house is on fire." She addressed the British, European and French parliaments; in the latter case several right-wing politicians boycotted her. In a short meeting with Thunberg, Pope Francis thanked her and encouraged her to continue her activism.

By March 2019, Thunberg was still staging her regular protests outside the Swedish parliament every Friday, where other students occasionally joined her. According to her father, her activism did not interfere with her schoolwork, but she had less spare time. She finished lower secondary school with excellent grades: 14 As and three Bs. In July 2019, magazine reported Thunberg was taking a " sabbatical year" from school, intending to travel in the Americas while meeting people from the climate movement on her way to attend and address COP25.

Sabbatical year

United States Congresswoman Dina Titus listening to Thunberg and her fellow activists discussing the urgent need to address climate change, 2019

In August 2019, Thunberg sailed across the Atlantic Ocean from Plymouth, England, to New York City, in the 60-foot (18 m) racing yacht , equipped with solar panels and underwater turbines. The trip was announced as a carbon-neutral transatlantic crossing serving as a demonstration of Thunberg's declared beliefs of the importance of reducing emissions. The voyage took 15 days, from 14 to 28 August 2019. France 24 reported that several crew members would fly to New York to sail the Malizia II yacht back to Europe. On Thunberg's return voyage aboard the La Vagabonde catamaran, she was quoted that she chose sailing as a way to send a message to the world that there is no real sustainable option to travel across the oceans. While in New York, Thunberg was invited to give testimony in the US House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis on 18 September. Instead of testifying, she gave an eight-sentence statement and submitted the IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 °C as evidence.

UN Climate Action Summit

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. And yet I'm one of the lucky ones. People are suffering. People are dying. Entire ecosystems are collapsing. We are in the beginning of a mass extinction, and all you can talk about is money and fairy tales of eternal economic growth. How dare you!

On 23 September 2019, Thunberg attended the UN Climate Action Summit in New York City. That day the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) hosted a press conference where Thunberg joined 15 other children, including Ayakha Melithafa, Alexandria Villaseñor, Catarina Lorenzo, and Carl Smith.

Together, the group announced they had made an official complaint against five nations that were not on track to meet the emission reduction targets they committed to in their Paris Agreement pledges: Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany, and Turkey. The complaint challenged these countries under the Third Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Protocol is a quasi-judicial mechanism that allows children or their representatives, who believe their rights have been violated, to bring a complaint before the relevant "treaty body", the Committee on the Rights of the Child. If the complaint succeeds, the countries will be asked to respond, but any suggestions are not legally binding.

Autumn global climate strikes

In late September 2019 Thunberg entered Canada where she participated in climate protests in the cities of Montreal, Edmonton and Vancouver, including leading a climate rally as part of the 27 September 2019 Global Climate Strike in Montreal. The school strikes for climate on 20 and 27 September 2019 were attended by over four million people, according to one of the co-organisers. Hundreds of thousands took part in the protest, described as the largest in the city's history. The mayor of Montreal gave her the Freedom of the City award. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was in attendance, and Thunberg spoke briefly with him. While in the United States, Thunberg participated in climate protests in New York City with Alexandria Villaseñor and Xiye Bastida, in Washington, D.C., with Jerome Foster II, Iowa City, Los Angeles, Charlotte, Denver with Haven Coleman, and the Standing Rock Indian Reservation with Tokata Iron Eyes. In various cities, Thunberg's keynote speech began by acknowledging that she was standing on land that originally belonged to Indigenous peoples, saying: "In acknowledging the enormous injustices inflicted upon these people, we must also mention the many enslaved and indentured servants whose labour the world still profits from today."

Participation at COP25

Thunberg had intended to remain in the Americas to travel overland to attend the 2019 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP25) originally planned in Santiago, Chile, in December. However, it was announced on short notice that COP25 was to be moved to Madrid, Spain, because of serious public unrest in Chile. Thunberg has refused to fly because of the carbon emissions from air travel, so she posted on social media that she needed a ride across the Atlantic Ocean. Riley Whitelum and his wife, Elayna Carausu, two Australians who had been sailing around the world aboard their 48-foot (15 m) catamaran La Vagabonde, offered to take her. So on 13 November 2019, Thunberg set sail from Hampton, Virginia, for Lisbon, Portugal. Her departing message was the same as it has been since she began her activism: "My message to the Americans is the same as to everyone - that is to unite behind the science and to act on the science."

Thunberg arrived in the Port of Lisbon on 3 December 2019, then travelled on to Madrid to speak at COP25 and to participate with the local Fridays for Future climate strikers. During a press conference before the march, she called for more "concrete action", arguing that the global wave of school strikes over the previous year had "achieved nothing" because greenhouse gas emissions were still rising - by 4% since 2015.

Further activism in Europe and end of sabbatical year

On 30 December 2019, Thunberg was guest editor of the BBC Radio's flagship current affairs programme, the Today Programme. Thunberg's edition of the programme featured interviews on climate change with Sir David Attenborough, Bank of England chief Mark Carney, Massive Attack's Robert Del Naja, and Shell Oil executive Maarten Wetselaar. The BBC subsequently released a podcast containing these interviews and other highlights. On 11 January 2020, Thunberg called on German company Siemens to stop the delivery of railway equipment to the controversial Carmichael coal mine, operated by a subsidiary of Indian company Adani Group in Australia, but on 13 January, Siemens said that it would continue to honour its contract with Adani.

On 21 January 2020, Thunberg returned to the World Economic Forum held in Davos, Switzerland, delivered two speeches, and participated in panel discussions hosted by The New York Times and the World Economic Forum. Thunberg used many of the themes contained in her previous speeches, but focused on one in particular: "Our house is still on fire." Thunberg joked that she cannot complain about not being heard, saying: "I am being heard all the time."

In February 2020, Thunberg travelled to Oxford University to meet Malala Yousafzai, a Nobel Peace Prize-winning Pakistani activist for female education who had been shot in the head by the Taliban as a schoolgirl. Thunberg was later to join a school strike in Bristol.

On 4 March 2020, Thunberg attended an extraordinary meeting of the European Parliament's Environment Committee to talk about the European Climate Law. There she declared that she considered the new proposal for a climate law published by the European Commission to be a surrender.

On 24 August 2020, Thunberg ended her " gap year" from school when she returned to the classroom. The COVID-19 pandemic severely restricted travel and meetings in 2020 and 2021.

Activism during the COVID-19 pandemic

In early 2020, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic caused worldwide implementation of mitigation measures, including social distancing, quarantine, and face coverings. On 13 March 2020, Thunberg stated that "In a crisis we change our behavior and adapt to the new circumstances for the greater good of society." Thunberg and School Strike for Climate subsequently moved their activities online. On 20 August 2020, the second anniversary of Thunberg's first strike, Thunberg and fellow climate activists Luisa Neubauer, Anuna de Wever van der Heyden and Adélaïde Charlier met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin. They subsequently announced plans for another global climate strike on 25 September 2020. Neubauer said that whether the strike in September is virtual in nature or in the streets would be determined by the pandemic situation. At a joint press conference with fellow activists echoing her sentiment, Neubauer said: "The climate crisis doesn't pause."

On 14 December 2020, Thunberg used Twitter to criticize the New Zealand Labour Government's recent climate change emergency declaration as " virtue signalling", tweeting that New Zealand's Labour Government had only committed to reducing less than one percent of New Zealand's carbon emissions by 2025. In response, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and climate change Minister James Shaw defended New Zealand's climate change declaration as only the start of the country's climate change mitigation goals. On 29 December 2020, during a BBC interview, Thunberg said that climate experts are not being listened to despite the COVID-19 pandemic highlighting the importance of using science to address such issues. She added that the COVID-19 crisis had "shone a light" on how "we cannot make it without science".

Thunberg with a megaphone leading an event in Berlin, 2021

Thunberg and other climate activists launched the annual Climate Live concert to highlight climate change. Their first concert was held in April 2021. In May 2021, she addressed the COVID-19 crisis again, when she urged a change in the food production system and the protection of animals and their habitats. Thunberg's comments, which came amidst calls for meat-free alternatives, also addressed health concerns regarding animal welfare and the environment. Thunberg said that the way humans are destroying habitats are the perfect conditions for the spread of diseases and noted zoonotic illnesses such as COVID-19, Zika, Ebola, West Nile fever, SARS, MERS, among others. In July 2021, Thunberg received her COVID vaccine, saying: "I am extremely grateful and privileged to be able to live in a part of the world where I can already get vaccinated. The vaccine distribution around the world is extremely unequal. No one is safe until everyone is safe. But when you get offered a vaccine, don't hesitate. It saves lives."

The inaugural edition of Vogue Scandinavia (August-September 2021) had a cover photograph of Thunberg shot by Swedish photography and conservationist duo Iris and Mattias Alexandrov Klum and an interview with her. The cover shows Thunberg wearing a trench coat while sitting with an Icelandic horse in a woodland outside Stockholm. In the interview, Thunberg criticized the promotional campaigns the fashion industry uses to appear sustainable without "actually doing anything to protect the environment" and called the campaigns " greenwashing". On the same day, she used Twitter to criticize the fashion industry as "a huge contributor" to the climate and ecological "emergency" and "not to mention its impact on the countless workers and communities who are being exploited around the world in order for some to enjoy fast fashion that many treat as disposables". Thunberg's wearing of wool during the photoshoot garnered criticism from other vegans, who said it promoted animal cruelty. According to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), she was unaware that the clothing was made of real animal-derived wool.

On 28 September 2021, Thunberg criticized U.S. president Joe Biden, British prime minister Boris Johnson, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi and other world leaders over their promises to address the climate crisis in a speech at the Youth4Climate Summit in Milan. Thunberg also criticized and doubted organizers of climate conferences, saying, "They invite cherry-picked young people to meetings like this to pretend they are listening to us. But they are not." A month later, Thunberg took part in a protest in London, demanding that the financial system stop funding companies and projects that use fossil fuels, such as coal, oil and natural gas. The protest in London is part of a series taking place at the financial centres around the world, including New York City, San Francisco and Nairobi. She told the BBC journalist Andrew Marr that banks should "stop funding our destruction", ahead of the UN COP26 climate summit. At the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Thunberg attended a panel on climate change hosted by British actress Emma Watson.

In November 2021, Thunberg, along with other climate activists, filed a petition to the United Nations, calling it to declare a level 3 global climate emergency, with the aim of creating a special team that will coordinate the response to the climate crisis at an international level. In December 2021, Thunberg reiterated her criticism of U.S. president Joe Biden, saying, "If you call him a leader - I mean, it's strange that people think of Joe Biden as a leader for the climate when you see what his administration is doing", alluding to the U.S. expansions on use of fossil fuels during the Biden administration. Thunberg further lamented that activists and teenagers are needed in order to bring awareness about climate change.

Post-COVID-19 pandemic

On 6 February 2022, Thunberg condemned the British firm Beowulf and its mining of iron on Sámi land. She said, "We believe that the climate, the environment, clean air, water, reindeer herding, indigenous rights and the future of humanity should be prioritized above the short-term profit of a company. The Swedish government needs to stop the colonization of Sami."

On Friday, 25 February 2022, Thunberg combined her usual Friday climate protests to include opposing the invasion of Ukraine by Russian military forces. She stood outside the Russian embassy in Stockholm holding a sign that read "Stand With Ukraine". On 29 June 2023, Thunberg met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other prominent European figures to form a working group to address ecological damage from the 16-month-old Russian invasion.

In late 2022, Thunberg's The Climate Book was released. It is a compilation in which she brought together over one hundred experts-geophysicists, oceanographers and meteorologists; engineers, economists and mathematicians; historians, philosophers and indigenous leaders-who wrote essays focusing on changes to the Earth's climate. Thunberg also contributed writings to the book and is credited as its author. She donated her copyright and all royalties generated by the book to her foundation and will not personally profit from sales or other commercial uses. While on her 2022 midterm Autumn break from school, Thunberg embarked on a publicity campaign for the book's initial release, which occurred in the UK on 27 October 2022 and in Australia on 1 November 2022; it is published under Penguin's Allen Lane Imprint books. On 14 February 2023, the Climate Book was released in the United States and elsewhere. An extract from The Climate Book and reviews are available.

On 14 January 2023, Thunberg spoke during a protest in Lützerath, calling on the German authorities to stop the expansion of a nearby coal mine. She was detained along with other activists by German police while demonstrating at the opencast coal mine of Garzweiler 2, around 9 km from the village on 17 January, after police warned the group that they would be detained unless they moved away from the edge of the mine. The mine's owner RWE had earlier agreed with the government on demolishing Lützerath in exchange for a faster exit from coal and the saving of five villages originally slated for destruction. She was released the same day after an identity check.

Post-high school graduation

On 9 June 2023, Thunberg graduated from high school and marked the day by attending what would be her last school strike for climate protest before receiving her diploma. She wore the Swedish traditional graduation white dress and white studentmössa (cap) to the protest. She vowed to continue, saying that her "fight has only just begun". In Thunberg's subsequent protest pictures that she posts to her social media accounts, some of the group photos have featured "School Strike for Climate" signage.

On 19 June 2023, Thunberg took part in a Reclaim the Future protest in Malmö, Sweden, and was charged with disobeying a police order. On 24 July 2023, a trial was held at Malmö District Court where the prosecution presented its case against Thunberg for disobedience to authority after having disrupted traffic and refusing to follow police orders. While she acknowledged that the facts of the case against her were accurate, Thunberg said that due to the existential and global threat to the climate caused by the fossil fuel industry, her protest was a form of self-defence. She was sentenced by the court to pay fines totaling 2,500 SEK (approximately US$240). Within hours after the court convicted her, Thunberg attended a similar protest where Reclaim the Future again blocked oil tankers on a road in Malmö. She was again forcibly removed by police and later criminally charged. On 11 October 2023, Thunberg's second Swedish trial for disobedience (disobeying a police order to disperse) occurred. She was found guilty for the 24 July 2023 incident and ordered to pay fines totaling 4,500 Swedish crowns ($414).

On 4 August 2023, Thunberg cancelled a prearranged appearance that was to occur the following Friday, 11 August, at the Edinburgh International Book Festival to promote her book: The Climate Book. She said that as a climate activist she could not attend an event sponsored by Baillie Gifford - an investment management firm - due to its connections with the fossil fuel industry. In making the announcement, the festival's Nick Barley said that he was disappointed but respected Thunberg's decision. "I share Greta's view that in all areas of society the rate of progress is not enough." He went on to say: "The book festival exists to give a platform for debate and discussion around key issues affecting humanity today - including the climate emergency . . . We strongly believe that Baillie Gifford are part of the solution to the climate emergency." In its response, Baillie Gifford said that it was not a significant fossil fuel investor, with 2% of its clients' money being invested in companies with some business related to fossil fuels while the market average was 11%.

On 18 October 2023, Thunberg was arrested in London, England, for her part in protesting against the Energy Intelligence Forum, described as the " Oscars of oil". She was charged with failure to comply with a lawful order to disperse, a "condition imposed under Section 14 of the Public Order Act". On 15 November 2023 Thunberg appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court and entered a plea of "not guilty". On 2 February 2024 the case against Thunberg, et al., was dismissed by the presiding judge after the prosecution rested its case. The judge agreed with the defence that "the crown had failed to present enough evidence to prove their case".

On 6 April 2024, Thunberg participated in an Extinction Rebellion-led protest in The Hague, Netherlands, where law enforcement forcibly removed her from blocking a road. She then joined another group of Extinction Rebellion protesters who were blocking a different road and was again removed. The BBC and some other media outlets reported that Thunberg was arrested while some media outlets only mention that she was detained. It is unclear whether criminal charges were - or will be - filed.

On 23 April 2024, Thunberg was charged with civil disobedience for allegedly ignoring police orders to leave two climate demonstrations which law enforcement claim were blocking Sweden's parliament building on 12 and 14 March. Her refusal to comply with police orders caused her to be forcibly removed. Thunberg entered a plea of not guilty. A Swedish court convicted her on 8 May 2024 and she was fined 6,000 Swedish Kronor (US$550). Thunberg was also ordered to pay an additional 1,000 Swedish Kronor (US$92) in damages.

Pro-Palestinian activism

Thunberg wearing a keffiyeh in solidarity with Palestine at an event in Amsterdam in 2023

On 20 October 2023, Thunberg posted a photo during her usual Friday climate protests, showing her and three other protesters holding signs. One sign read "climate justice now" and the other three displayed support for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip amidst the Israel-Hamas war. Her post on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram also included fourteen links to "Palestine solidarity" social media accounts where, she said, "you can find information on how you can help." Thunberg was immediately criticized for not condemning Hamas's attack on Israel. The following day Thunberg posted "It goes without saying - or so I thought - that I'm against the horrific attacks by Hamas. As I said, 'the world needs to speak up and call for an immediate ceasefire, justice and freedom for Palestinians and all civilians affected.'" The Israeli Ministry of Education responded to Thunberg's initial "statements in support of Gaza without condemning Hamas" by removing "various references in the educational curriculum that present Thunberg as a role model and a source of inspiration for youth".

On 5 December 2023, Thunberg and three researchers/activists affiliated with Fridays for Future Sweden published an opinion piece in The Guardian titled "We won't stop speaking out about Gaza's suffering - there is no climate justice without human rights." The piece clarified her and FFF Sweden's support for Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip amidst the Israel-Hamas war. The article stated that "All Fridays for Future groups are autonomous, and this article represents the views of nobody but FFF Sweden." They also addressed the criticism that Fridays for Future has been radicalized and is engaging in politics by stating that the organisation has always been political because it is a movement for justice. FFF Sweden believes that "means speaking up when people suffer, are forced to flee their homes or are killed - regardless of the cause".

In September 2024, Danish police apprehended Thunberg during a pro-Palestinian protest in Copenhagen against the Israel-Hamas war. Thunberg, along with five others, was detained after blocking the entrance to a building at the University of Copenhagen. Less than a week later, she was "carried out" from the library of Stockholm University by Stockholm police after she participated in an encampment inside the library. She characterized the police response as a "repression". Following those incidents, she was labeled "antisemite of the week" by StopAntisemitism. In December 2024, while speaking at a pro-Palestine rally in the German city of Mannheim, Thunberg declared "Fuck Germany and fuck Israel." In response, local CDU politician Manuel Hagel accused Thunberg of "moving very consciously in close proximity to anti-Semitism".

Reflecting on her pro-Palestine activism in November 2024, Thunberg stated:

For me, it hasn't been solely about the climate at all. The media often wants to simplify things, like 'she's the one who works on climate.' They want to put a face to the issue. I mean, we're talking about climate justice. All forms of justice are included within climate justice. In the last year, when I started getting involved in Palestinian activism, that view has shifted.

Boycott of COP29

Thunberg boycotted COP29, hosted by Azerbaijan, for human rights violations, and instead visited neighboring Georgia and Armenia. While in Georgia, she joined a political demonstration against Georgia's government in Tbilisi, stating "I am here to express my support and solidarity to all activists and citizens who are coming forward to defend their fundamental rights such as freedom, justice and democracy." In an interview, she said that "The only thing that will come out of [COP29] is loopholes, more negotiations, and symbolic decisions that look good on paper but are really just greenwashing."

She then visited Armenia, where she argued that "We need to stop hosting climate conferences in places like Azerbaijan, a country that is repressing its own population to an extreme degree." At a demonstration in front of the United Nations delegation headquarters in the Armenian capital of Yerevan, she stated "We urge international media and those in power who are in Baku to go and visit Armenian hostages and demand an immediate release to all political prisoners, prisoners of war and hostages." While in Armenia, she also visited Pink Armenia, which stated "We extend our gratitude to Greta Thunberg for raising Armenia's critical issues on international platforms and for showing her solidarity with the LGBT+ movement."

Position on climate change

A video of Thunberg speaking at the 2019 World Economic Forum in Davos

Thunberg delivering a speech at a July 2019 school strike for climate change in Berlin

Thunberg states that humanity is facing an existential crisis because of global warming and holds the baby boomers, and each subsequent generation, responsible for creating and perpetuating detrimental changes to the Earth's climate. She uses graphic analogies (such as "our house is on fire") to highlight her concerns and often speaks bluntly to business and political leaders about their failure to take concerted action.

Thunberg has said that climate change will have a disproportionate effect on young people, whose futures will be profoundly affected. She argues that her generation may not have a future any more because "that future was sold so that a small number of people could make unimaginable amounts of money." She also has said that people in the Global South will suffer most from climate change, even though they have contributed least in terms of carbon dioxide emissions. Thunberg has voiced support for other young activists from developing countries who are already facing the damaging effects of climate change. Speaking in Madrid in December 2019, she said: "We talk about our future, they talk about their present."

Speaking at international forums, she berates world leaders because she believes that too little action is being taken to reduce global emissions. She says that lowering emissions is not enough, that emissions need to be reduced to zero if the world is to keep global warming to less than 1.5 °C. Speaking to the British Parliament in April 2019, she said: "The fact that we are speaking of 'lowering' instead of 'stopping' emissions is perhaps the greatest force behind the continuing business as usual." In order to take the necessary action, she added that politicians should not listen to her, they should listen to what the scientists are saying about how to address the crisis. According to political scientists Mattia Zulianello and Diego Ceccobelli, Thunberg's ideas can be defined as technocratic ecocentrism, which is grounded on "the exaltation of the vox scientifica".

More specifically, Thunberg has argued that commitments made at the Paris Agreement are insufficient to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees, and that the greenhouse gas emissions curve needs to start declining steeply no later than 2020 - as detailed in the IPCC's Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 °C published in 2018. In February 2019, at a conference of the European Economic and Social Committee, she said that the EU's current intention to cut emissions by 40% by 2030 is "not sufficient to protect the future for children growing up today" and that the EU must reduce their CO ₂ emissions by 80%, double the 40% goal.

Thunberg reiterated her views on political inaction in a November 2020 interview where she stated that "leaders are happy to set targets for decades ahead, but flinch when immediate action is needed." She criticized the European Green Deal, which aims to make the EU climate neutral by 2050, saying that it "sends a strong signal that real and sufficient action is being taken when in fact it's not. Nature doesn't bargain, and you cannot make deals with physics."

In July 2020, Greta Thunberg, Luisa Neubauer, Anuna De Wever and Adélaïde Carlier wrote an open letter to all EU leaders and heads of state stating they must "advocate to make ecocide an international crime at the International Criminal Court." In June 2023, Greta called the destruction of the Kakhovka dam in Ukraine by Russia an ecocide and called for prosecution, stating "Russia needs to be held accountable for their action and for their crimes. The eyes of the world are on them now".

In an interview shortly before the 2021 COP26 conference in Glasgow, Thunberg, asked how optimistic she was that the conference could achieve anything, responded, "Nothing has changed from previous years, really. The leaders will say, 'we'll do this and we'll do this, and we will put our forces together and achieve this', and then they will do nothing. Maybe some symbolic things and creative accounting and things that don't really have a big impact. We can have as many COPs as we want, but nothing real will come out of it." She called Chinese president Xi Jinping "a leader of a dictatorship" and said that "democracy is the only solution to the climate crisis, since the only thing that could get us out of this situation is ... massive public pressure."

On 30 October 2021, she arrived at Glasgow Central station for the COP26. She spoke at some protests during the COP and marched in a Fridays for Future Scotland climate strike on Friday 5 November; she said in an earlier interview that the public needed to "uproot the system". She delivered a speech to protesters in which she described COP26 as a failure, speaking of "blah blah blah" and greenwashing.

Public response and impact

In February 2019, 224 academics signed an open letter of support stating they were inspired by Thunberg's actions and the striking school children in making their voices heard. This support from academics, including many scientists, is in sharp contrast with the opposition Thunberg usually receives from politicians.

Politicians

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres endorsed the school strikes initiated by Thunberg, admitting: "My generation has failed to respond properly to the dramatic challenge of climate change. This is deeply felt by young people. No wonder they are angry." Speaking at an event in New Zealand in May 2019, Guterres said his generation was "not winning the battle against climate change" and that it was up to the youth to "rescue the planet".

Thunberg urges MEPs to show climate leadership, receives standing ovation, 2020

Democratic candidates for the 2020 United States presidential election such as Kamala Harris, Beto O'Rourke, and Bernie Sanders expressed support after her speech at the September 2019 action summit in New York. German Chancellor Angela Merkel indicated that young activists such as Thunberg had driven her government to act faster on climate change.

Thunberg and her campaign have been criticized by politicians as well, ranging from personal attacks to statements that she oversimplifies the complex issues involved. Among them are the Australian prime minister Scott Morrison, German chancellor Angela Merkel, French president Emmanuel Macron, Russian president Vladimir Putin, OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) and, repeatedly, U.S. president Donald Trump.

In September 2019, Trump shared a video of Thunberg angrily addressing world leaders, along with her quote that "people are dying, entire ecosystems are collapsing. We are in the beginning of a mass extinction." Trump wrote about Thunberg, tweeting: "She seems like a very happy young girl looking forward to a bright and wonderful future. So nice to see!" Thunberg reacted by changing her Twitter bio to match his description, and stating that she could not "understand why grown-ups would choose to mock children and teenagers for just communicating and acting on the science when they could do something good instead." In December 2019, Trump again mocked Thunberg after she was named Person of the Year for 2019 by Time, tweeting: "So ridiculous. Greta must work on her Anger Management problem, then go to a good old fashioned movie with a friend! Chill Greta, Chill!" Thunberg responded by changing her Twitter biography to: "A teenager working on her anger management problem. Currently chilling and watching a good old fashioned movie with a friend." During the 2020 United States presidential election, Thunberg commented on Trump tweeting "Stop the count!" with the text: "So ridiculous. Donald must work on his Anger Management problem, then go to a good old fashioned movie with a friend! Chill Donald, Chill!"

In October 2019, Putin described Thunberg as a "kind girl and very sincere", while suggesting she was being manipulated to serve others' interests. Putin criticized her as "poorly informed", adding, "No one has explained to Greta that the modern world is complex and different and people in Africa or in many Asian countries want to live at the same wealth level as in Sweden." Similar to her reaction to Trump, Thunberg updated her Twitter bio to reflect Putin's description of her. In December 2019, Thunberg tweeted: "Indigenous people are literally being murdered for trying to protect the forest from illegal deforestation. Over and over again. It is shameful that the world remains silent about this." When asked about this subject two days later, Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro responded, "Greta said that the Indians were dying because they were trying to protect the Amazon. It is impressive how the press gives voice to such a brat." On the same day, Thunberg changed her Twitter description to pirralha, the Portuguese word for "brat" used by Bolsonaro.

In a Time story published in May 2019, Thunberg addressed the criticism she has received online, saying, "It's quite hilarious when the only thing people can do is mock you, or talk about your appearance or personality, as it means they have no argument or nothing else to say." Former U.S. vice-president and Trump's eventual successor Joe Biden responded to Trump's tweet mocking Thunberg after she was named the Time's Person of the Year 2019 by tweeting at Trump: "What kind of president bullies a teenager? @realDonaldTrump, you could learn a few things from Greta on what it means to be a leader."

Thunberg swarmed by the press at the European Parliament, 2019

In August 2019, Scott Walsman wrote in Scientific American that Thunberg's detractors have "launched personal attacks", "bash [her] autism", and "increasingly rely on ad hominem attacks to blunt her influence". Writing in The Guardian, Aditya Chakrabortty said that columnists including Brendan O'Neill, Toby Young, the blog Guido Fawkes, as well as Helen Dale and Rod Liddle at The Spectator and The Sunday Times, had been making "ugly personal attacks" on Thunberg. British TV presenter Piers Morgan also mocked Thunberg. As part of its climate change denial, Germany's right-wing populist party Alternative for Germany (AfD) has attacked Thunberg "in fairly vicious ways", according to Jakob Guhl, a researcher for the Institute for Strategic Dialogue.

Arron Banks' Twitter post saying that "freak yachting accidents do happen in August" in reference to Thunberg, outraged a number of British MPs (Member of Parliament), celebrities, and academics. Tanja Bueltmann, founder of EU Citizens' Champion, said Banks had "invoked the drowning of a child" for his own amusement and said that most of those attacking Thunberg "are white middle-aged men from the right of the political spectrum". Writing in The Guardian, Gaby Hinsliff said Thunberg has become "the new front in the Brexit culture war", arguing that the outrage generated by personal attacks on Thunberg by Brexiteers "gives them the welcome oxygen of publicity".

In September 2019, Nick Gillespie wrote in that "Greta Thunberg's histrionics are likely heartfelt but neither they nor the deplorable responses they conjure are a guide forward to good environmental policy in a world that is getting richer every day." In August 2021, Yasmeen Serhan wrote in The Atlantic that Thunberg had become "the target of a barrage of disinformation and conspiracies" from the far-right and populist right, "including depictions of her as a spoiled child, a leftist pawn, and even a Nazi".

"The Greta effect"

September 2019 climate strike in Geneva

In summarizing Thunberg's global impact on the climate debate, the BBC encapsulated her influence: "she is credited with raising public awareness of climate change across the world, especially amongst young people. Many commentators call this 'the Greta effect'".

Beginning in early 2019, roughly concurrent with growing public recognition of Thunberg's work, Google Trends data shows a growth in searches for the term climate emergency (shown in red), and for the term climate crisis (shown in blue). The surge in 2006 followed release of Al Gore's film, An Inconvenient Truth.

In February 2019, Thunberg shared a stage with the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, where he outlined: "In the next financial period from 2021 to 2027, every fourth euro spent within the EU budget will go towards action to mitigate climate change." Climate issues also played a significant role in European Parliament election in May 2019, as Green parties recorded their best ever results, boosting their MEP seat numbers from 52 to 72. Many of the gains came from northern European countries where young people have taken to the streets inspired by Thunberg.

In June 2019, a YouGov poll in Britain found that public concern about the environment had soared to record levels in the UK since Thunberg and Extinction Rebellion had "pierced the bubble of denial". In August 2019, publication and sales of children's books about the climate crisis reportedly doubled compared to the previous year. Publishers attribute this to the "Greta effect".

According to a 2021 study, "those who are more familiar with Greta Thunberg have higher intentions of taking collective actions to reduce global warming and that stronger collective efficacy beliefs mediate this relationship. This association between familiarity with Greta Thunberg, collective efficacy beliefs, and collective action intentions is present even after accounting for respondents' overall support for climate activism."

Flight shame

Thunberg has spearheaded the anti-flying movement, promoting rail travel over flying on environmental grounds. The buzzword associated with this movement is or "flight shame". It is a phenomenon in which people feel social pressure not to fly because of the rising greenhouse gas emissions of the airline industry. It was originally championed by Swedish Olympic athlete Björn Ferry, but has gained significant momentum after Thunberg's refusal to fly on environmental grounds. Thunberg backed the campaign to fly less and made it part of her 2019 "awareness tour" in Europe.

Sweden reported a 4% drop in domestic air travel for 2019 and an increase in rail use. The BBC says that the movement could halve the growth of global air travel, but Airbus and Boeing say that they still expect to grow at around 4% until 2035. In June 2019, Swedish Railways (SJ) reported that the number of Swedes taking the train for domestic journeys had risen by 8% from the previous year, reflecting growing public concern (reflected in a survey published by Swedish Railways) about the impact of flying on CO ₂ emissions.

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Public image and controversies

According to ABC news, in December 2019 Thunberg was attacked by a sitting US president, Donald Trump, after she was named Time's youngest Person of the Year. Trump tweeted that "[Thunberg] must work on her Anger Management problem, then go to a good old fashioned movie. Chill Greta, Chill!" In response, Thunberg changed her Twitter (now X) profile description to read: a "teenager working on her anger management problem. Currently chilling and watching a good old fashioned movie with a friend."

In popular culture and art

A multi-story mural of Thunberg in Istanbul, Turkey

Thunberg has been depicted in popular culture and art. Greta and the Giants, a book by Zoë Tucker and Zoe Persico, published by Frances Lincoln Children's Books, was inspired by the life of Thunberg. Argentinian artist Andrés Iglesias unveiled an 18-meter mural of Thunberg above Mason street, near Union Square in San Francisco. American painter Elizabeth Peyton chose her 2019 portrait Greta Thunberg as the leading image of one of her shows. She has been depicted in multiple murals. In Bristol, a 15-metre-high (49 ft) mural of Thunberg by artist Jody Thomas, portrays the bottom half of her face as if under rising sea water since May 2019. Thunberg was featured on the Time magazine cover in May 2019 issue, where she was described as a role model and one of the " Next Generation Leaders". She and fifteen others were featured on the cover of the fashion magazine created by guest editor Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in September 2019.

Some of Thunberg's speeches have been incorporated into music. In 2019, Thunberg contributed a voiceover for a release of " The 1975", a song by the English band by the same name. Thunberg finishes the song by urging: "So, everyone out there, it is now time for civil disobedience. It is time to rebel." Proceeds will go to Extinction Rebellion at Thunberg's request. In September 2019, John Meredith set her UN Action Summit speech to death metal. The Australian musician Megan Washington and composer Robert Davidson used the same 'how dare you' speech, for a performance at an event exploring the future of music. DJ Fatboy Slim created a mashup of this speech with his dance hit " Right Here, Right Now".

Project Pressure, Voices for the Future, projected a quote by Thunberg onto the United Nations building in New York in the lead up to the UN Climate Action Summit, 2019

In 2019, Thunberg collaborated with the climate charity Project Pressure on an art piece projected onto the UN building in New York in the lead up to the UN Climate Action Summit featuring the voices of six young activists, including Thunberg herself. Vizualised by Joseph Michael, authored by Klaus Thymann and music by Brian Eno, their commentary was on the climate crisis and the urgent actions that need to be taken to minimize its consequences.

In May 2020, Thunberg was featured in Pearl Jam's music video " Retrograde". She appears as a fortune teller, with images in her crystal ball depicting startling effects of climate change in numerous countries.

On 3 September 2020, the Hulu cinéma vérité-esque documentary had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival. The film was directed by Nathan Grossman, who single-handedly operated the camera and sound equipment while memorializing Thunberg's climate activism "from the first solitary days of her school strike in August 2018, all the way through to her two-week sea voyage across the Atlantic Ocean from Europe to New York City to attend the United Nations Climate Summit in September 2019." Following its Venice premiere, the film had its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on 11 September 2020, and opened in cinemas across Europe, North America and Australia in October.

In March 2021, the University of Winchester installed a life-sized sculpture of Thunberg on its campus. BBC Studios made a three-part series Greta Thunberg: A Year to Change the World, with planned visits to various countries omitted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Honours and awards

Thunberg has received honours and awards over the course of her activism. In May 2018, before the start of her school strike, she was one of the winners of a climate change essay competition by Svenska Dagbladet (The Swedish Daily News) for young people. Thunberg has refused to attend ceremonies or accept prizes if it requires her to fly, such as for the International Children's Peace Prize. She has received prizes from various NGOs but also from scientific institutions that lauded her success in raising awareness.

's 25 most influential teens of 2018, December 2018, an annual list compiled by Time magazine of the most influential teenagers in the world that year.

Nobel Peace Prize nomination, 2019, by three deputies of the Norwegian parliament. Again in 2020 by two Swedish lawmakers. Nominated in 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Rachel Carson Prize, March 2019, awarded to a woman who has distinguished herself in outstanding work for the environment in Norway or internationally.

Time 100, April 2019, by Time magazine, an annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world for that year.

Honorary degree of Doctor honoris causa (dr.h.c.), May 2019, conferred by the Belgian University of Mons (Mons, Belgium) for "contribution ... to raising awareness on sustainable development".

Ambassador of Conscience Award, June 2019, Amnesty International's most prestigious award, for her leadership in the climate movement, shared with Fridays for Future.

The Geddes Environment Medal, July 2019, by the Royal Scottish Geographical Society, for "an outstanding practical, research or communications contribution to conservation and protection of the natural environment and the development of sustainability."

International Children's Peace Prize, October 2019, shared with 14-year-old Divina Maloum from Cameroon, awarded by the KidsRights Foundation.

Maphiyata echiyatan hin win (Woman Who Came from the Heavens), Lakota tribal name conferred, October 2019, at Standing Rock Indian Reservation, following support for the Dakota Access pipeline opposition, after being invited by Tokata Iron Eyes, a 16-year-old Lakota climate activist.

Nordic Council Environment Prize, October 2019. Thunberg declined to accept the award or the prize money of DKK 350,000 (€47,000 as of October 2019) stating that Nordic countries were not doing enough to cut emissions.

Time Person of the Year, December 2019, by Time magazine, the first recipient born in the 21st century and the youngest ever. For succeeding in "creating a global attitudinal shift, transforming millions of vague, middle-of-the-night anxieties into a worldwide movement calling for urgent change." And: "For sounding the alarm about humanity's predatory relationship with the only home we have, for bringing to a fragmented world a voice that transcends backgrounds and borders, for showing us all what it might look like when a new generation leads."

Glamour Woman of the Year Award 2019, 12 November 2019, by magazine. Accepted by Jane Fonda, quoting Greta as saying "If a Swedish, teenage, science nerd who has shopstop, refuses to fly and has never worn makeup or been to a hairdresser can be chosen a Woman of the Year by one of the biggest fashion magazines in the world then I think almost nothing is impossible."

She was recognized as one of the BBC's 100 women of 2019.

, December 2019, an annual list of ten "people who mattered" in science, produced by the scientific journal , specifically, for being a "climate catalyst: A Swedish teenager [who] brought climate science to the fore as she channeled her generation's rage."

Forbes list of The World's 100 Most Powerful Women, 2019

Forbes 30 under 30 Europe 2020 - Social Entrepreneurs

Human Act Award, on Earth Day, 22 April 2020, by the Human Act Foundation, for "her fearless and determined efforts to mobilize millions of people around the world to fight climate change." The USD100,000 prize money was donated to UNICEF and doubled by the Foundation.

Honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD), 31 May 2021, conferred by the University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus, for "her international recognitions for challenging world leaders to take immediate action against climate change."

Species named in Thunberg's honour

The following species have been described and named after Greta Thunberg:

Nelloptodes gretae, by Michael Darby, Natural History Museum, UK, December 2019, a new species of beetle from Kenya in the family Ptiliidae. Its long antennae bear a passing resemblance to her braided pigtails.

Craspedotropis gretathunbergae, by Schilthuizen et al., 2020, a new species of land snail from Borneo in the family Cyclophoridae.

Thunberga greta, in a new genus Thunberga gen nov, both by Peter Jäger, June 2020, a new species of east African huntsman spider in the family Sparassidae. As of April 2022 the new Thunberga genus contained twenty-nine newly described spiders, all from Madagascar and Mayotte, many in honour of other inspirational young people.

Opacuincola gretathunbergae, by Verhaege & Haase, 2021, a new freshwater snail from New Zealand in the family Tateidae.

Pristimantis gretathunbergae, by Mebert et al., 2022, a species of frog native to Panama.

For No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference, Thunberg was named author of the year by Waterstones

Scenes from the Heart (2018), with her sister, father and mother.

Thunberg, Greta (2019). No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference. Penguin Books. ISBN 978-0-241-51457-3. OCLC 1196840691. 96 pages. A collection of Thunberg's climate action speeches, with the earnings being donated to charity.

"Greta Thunberg Speeches and Interviews". What Would Greta Do?. Archived from the original on 6 April 2020. An archived compilation of Thunberg's speeches and interviews, and IPCC Reports, up to March 2020

Thunberg, Greta (November 2019). "The Disarming Case to Act Right Now on Climate Change". Stockholm: TED.

Ernman, Malena; Thunberg, Greta; Ernman, Beata; Thunberg, Svante (2021). Our House Is on Fire: Scenes of a Family and a Planet in Crisis. Penguin Books. ISBN 978-0-14-199288-4. OCLC 1179047026. 288 pages

Thunberg, Greta; Calderón, Adriana; Jhumu, Farzana Faruk; Njuguna, Eric (2021-08-19). "Opinion | This Is the World Being Left to Us by Adults". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-05-16.

Thunberg, Greta (October 2022). The Climate Book. London, United Kingdom: Allen Lane (Penguin Books). ISBN 978-0-241-54747-2. Hardback.

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41. Cyranoski, David; Gaind, Nisha; Gibney, Elizabeth; Masood, Ehsan; Maxmen, Amy; Reardon, Sara; Schiermeier, Quirin; Tollefson, Jeff; Witze, Alexandra (2019). "Nature's 10: Ten people who mattered in science in 2019". Nature. 576 (7787): 361-372. Bibcode:2019Natur.576..361C. doi:10.1038/d41586-019-03749-0. ISSN 0028-0836. PMID 31848484.

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Greta Tintin Eleonora Ernman Thunberg (Swedish pronunciation: [ˈɡrêːtaˈtʉ̂ːnbærj] TOON-berry ; born 3 January 2003) is a Swedish environmental activist known for challenging world leaders to take immediate action to mitigate the effects of human-caused climate change. Born in Stockholm, Thunberg's climate activism began when she persuaded her parents to adopt lifestyle choices that reduced her family's carbon footprint.

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The Impact Of a Good Leader and Good Leadership In Society

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When people talk about leadership, they mostly want to learn how to be good leaders at work. leadership in the corporate context is one of the hottest topics in the world, and everyone wants to learn how to become a billionaire and be the best possible boss. However, leadership is not just limited to the work frontier, it extends to all of society. In fact, leadership began as a societal phenomenon much before it evolved into a professional one. In fact, many of the present-day leadership qualities that corporate and professional leaders aspire to are based on the social and political leaders of the yesteryears.

Human beings are social animals and living together in large groups naturally meant that people needed to adopt different roles and accomplish different groups. In order to give structure to society and help society grow and develop, people were naturally divided into leaders and followers. The leaders paved the way and moved from one frontier to another, directing the others, while the followers completed the tasks assigned to them and helped bring the changes about.

Understanding the role and impact of good leadership in society makes for an interesting study. While it's easy to break down the effects of leadership in the work environment into small, easily identifiable structures, analyzing how positive leadership affects society is somewhat complex. Society is a multi-phenomena structure, with a myriad of social forces, elements and factors at play all the time. Society is not limited to a few defined goals, and hence, leadership in society is a vast, and often intangible, phenomenon.
Leadership For Adopting Social Change
Leadership is instrumental to achieving social change. All through history, whether it was for abolishing social norms, overcoming social evils or modernizing history, social change has been impossible without the right kind of leadership. When it comes to mobilizing the masses, igniting passion in people towards a common goal and motivating people to act towards the said common goal, it isn't possible to unite the people and inspire action without leadership. One person has to spear the movement, and he may not professionally be a leader, and does not have to be a political leader, but he should have the charisma to inspire people and motivate them. A great example from recent times would be that of Anna Hazare, and Indian citizen who inflamed thousands of Indians against the injustices of the Indian political system and the rampant corruption in society and politics and launched one of the biggest civil movements Asia has seen in a long time. In terms of social change, the leader is the face of the movement as well as the backbone of it, while the people form the heart and soul.
Leadership For A Positive And Content Society
It is interesting to note that one person or a small group of people has the power to influence how millions feel. A society that is bereft of competent leaders is invariably thrown into dissatisfaction at a small scale and turmoil and anarchy at a larger scale. A leader who is good at what he does, is able to keep people motivated and inspired, works for the greater good of society and not just his own personal gains, and is able to respect his people will be successful in creating a positive and happy society. When people have faith in their leader and feel that they are taken care of, be it economically or socially or politically, they are in a better frame of mind on the whole. Good leadership creates a happy society, and a happy society can build a strong nation!
Leadership For Improved Professional Performance
It is quite remarkable that even when leadership is effective in the social, not corporate, context, it has an impact on people's professional lives. When a society is led by a powerful, positive and forward-thinking leader, one of the main areas of focus is people's professional development. It goes without saying the professional progress is required for economic growth and no society can do well without financial stability. Hence, good leaders are those that take all factors into consideration, even if their role is ostensibly limited to one niche. A positive leader will always be mindful of the fact that people need to be achieving something in their professional capacities in order to lead the society forward, and hence the leader will emphasize the importance of education, picking the right career, working hard and focusing on performance.
Leadership For A Strengthened Identity
Most people fail to appreciate how a common leader is often the face of the society and a symbol for it. When people elect a leader they are proud of, or they are placed under the care of a leader who does a good job, there is a sense of pride and identification with the individual that also ties the society together. An effective leader is one that people of the society are happy to call their own, and in turn, the leader ends up bringing the society together and giving them a common, positive identity that the people are all happy to have. Societies are often remembered by their remarkable leaders and not the people, and it is a unique social phenomenon that one man or woman can not only shape the future of several people but can also make them feel closer to one another and strengthen their bonds with each other and with a common identity by virtue of being an effective leader.
Patrick Alain is the founder of the business communication warehouse LeaderPhrase.com, which is one of the top business, communication, and Leadership strategy source worldwide. Patrick Alain is internationally known for his contribution on some of the best-selling video games around the world.

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The Impact Of a Good Leader and Good Leadership In Society

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When people talk about leadership, they mostly want to learn how to be good leaders at work. leadership in the corporate context is one of the hottest topics in the world, and everyone wants to learn how to become a billionaire and be the best possible boss.

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The Explainer: What It Takes to Be a Great Leader

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The Explainer: What It Takes to Be a Great Leader

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Every Kid Needs a Champion Rita Pierson

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Every kid needs a champion | Rita Pierson | TED

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Leading with Laughter: The Power of Humor in Leadership

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Leading with Laughter: The Power of Humor in Leadership | Paul Osincup | TEDxNapaValley

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Why Leaders Should Learn Geography

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Kirk Goldsberry mentioned in " The Importance of Spatial Thinking " that "Harvard eradicated its Geography Department in the 1940's, and many universities followed suit". Indeed, not only has geography never been part of business programs, it gradually vanished from education fields that matter in prestigious schools, with no major revival since the 1940's.

Today, it is still suffering from an inaccurate split between a "physical" and a "human" branch, themselves sub-divided into multiple precarious sub-fields that makes everybody, including geographers themselves, feel embarrassed and confused about their own disciplinary. Having so much trouble defining what geography is played a big role in its disappearance from the business and management programs.

That lack of interest for geography as a field of study has also to do with the fact that it is still perceived as the "art" of exploring and mapping the world with a telescope from an old sailboat, counting rocks and drawing exotic landscapes with a nib while sipping some exotic cocktails. Not only geography is (still) seen as some sort of poetic leisure by the business world, it is now reduced to location devices and mapping gadgets since technology progress put GPS and Google Earth on every smartphones.

Well, we got it wrong. Geography is not the science that tries to naïvely explain the world by describing its very surface anymore, and it has nothing to do with naming all the capital cities of central America, nor with the ability to use the location feature on Pinterest.

Today's geography is an angle to look at the world, embrace its complexity, a way to get a sense of human flows, behaviour trends, cultural influences, market evolutions, balance of powers between institutions, companies, governments, from a global to a very local perspective. It is a way of thinking that crosses time and space at any possible scale to see and understand what is happening. It connects the dimensions of the world - societies, environment, economy, politics, finance, psychology... - by offering unique key concepts and theoretical tools.

As big data is becoming one of the biggest economic challenge of our time, being able to connect several layers of thematic information, to cross it with multiple time & space scales, to process complexity to end up with several prioritized solutions is not an optional skill for leaders. Decision makers need to know about wide general process such as globalisation, cultural preferences and religious beliefs in the world, demographic trends, but also about regional consumption habits, local specificities, small groups social psychology and behaviour.

Having a good knowledge of regional culture and place-related specificities is also definitely an asset, with employees as well as partners and customers. Being aware of the importance of place and people uniqueness, admitting other ways of thinking and other people-territory relationships will definitely make a difference in the way one will inspire others, no matter what the product is.

Geography provides an essential basic knowledge of global mechanisms that matter in the world every people making decisions on a daily basis should know about, from how nationalism shape consumer habits to why beach vacation became the biggest sector of the tourism industry since being tanned became a sign of wealth sixty years ago.

Like other sciences, geography provides analytical skills, precision, the ability to collect and process important amounts of quantitative and qualitative data, to synthesize and communicate results, both verbally and visually. More than other sciences, geography also provides spatial data visualisation skills (mapping and sketching), emphasis the capacity to read and communicate multiple dimensions of a problem to a range of partners, develops design and creativity skills as well as decision-making and good understanding of group and individual psychologies.

On top of that, leaders can gain a unique ability from geography by developing the three following skills:

The sense of scale: having good abilities to assess distances (physical distances, but also symbolic ones between cultures, people, products, times), to estimate accurately market size and accessibility, the feasibility of one project, its scalability, the capacity to discern what falls under global trends (long-term) versus what is a specific localized (short-term) phenomena make a great difference in the success of one enterprise.

Spatial thinking: not to confuse with "making all big decisions looking at a map instead of charts". Spatial thinking simply means: not to forget that data are always coming from somewhere, which basically means they have to be considered in a cultural, political and economical place-related context, relatively to other surrounding contexts (what happened in the past, what happened elsewhere, what happened in other dimensions than the financial or industrial one).

The sense of place: you always sell more than a product. You sell a story, a dream, a hope, a discourse. What makes the difference between a fair success and an exceptional product people will wait for is the deep and unwavering belief that they need this product to be the person they want to be. You sell meaning, you sell identity and image. Well, places (from the country to the house) are not just interchangeable empty containers for people. They are deeply associated with affective memories, life stories, key moments of people lives. Just like things.

If "power is information", knowing what is where in the world, and why, how it used to be and how it is likely to be in the future is essential for anyone aspiring to open a path for the others to get inspired and follow it.

Oh, also, learning geography will help not to look like a fool by confusing Irak with Afghanistan or ignoring what the capital city of Canada is.

Anne-Laure is a passionate geographer who has been working and traveling in France, New Zealand and Canada. After exploring the business school world, the academic universe and experimenting what it's like to work in a travel start-up, she now works on her geography blog: geo-pickmeup.com and contributes to the geoawesome project

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Why Leaders Should Learn Geography - Geoawesomeness

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Email Tweet Share Share on Facebook Pin Pocket WhatsApp Telegram Kirk Goldsberry mentioned in "The Importance of Spatial Thinking" that "Harvard eradicated its Geography Department in the 1940's, and many universities followed suit". Indeed, not only has geography never been part of business programs, it gradually vanished from education fields that matter in prestigious schools, ...

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8 Leadership Lessons from History

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Napoleon, Empress Wu, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Oliver Cromwell, Akbar, Stalin. History provides many examples of strong leaders who left their marks, for better or for worse.

But what the past will not do is provide the magic formula for how to become an effective leader. Looking for clear lessons in history is a futile quest: there are too many and their meaning is always in dispute. History can be useful, however, in suggesting patterns and parallels, raising questions, and - equally important - giving warnings about why things go wrong.

So here, from one historian, are first some tips about what goes into the making of a successful leader and, second, warnings about what can bring failure.

Leading can be gratifying, often exhilarating, but it is also lonely. Ambition and the determination to succeed may mean sacrificing friends and family. Think of how many children of great men have had unhappy lives. That loneliness is why statesmen like summits: they meet those rare others who face the same pressures and responsibilities.

At the Paris Peace Conference of 1919, David Lloyd George of Britain, Georges Clemenceau of France and Woodrow Wilson of the United States talked about their dreams and shared their fear of failure. What they also had in common was an ability to pick themselves up after setbacks and keep on going.

The people to keep on side can vary: in a democracy, leaders need to worry about numbers and getting re-elected; in an authoritarian state, leaders can probably just focus on keeping certain institutions - the military or the secret services, for example - on side.

When Bismarck created Germany he needed one man above all others: the Prussian King Wilhelm. It was not an easy relationship - Wilhelm complained that it was hard to be king under Bismarck - but in the end he supported his brilliant minister, who in turn made him Emperor of Germany. In democracies, political leaders have to build stable coalitions. After the Great Depression in the United States, the Democrats brought together Southern Whites, Northern Blacks, the working classes and liberals, and that served them well for decades.

That means above all understanding your audience.

Lloyd George, who was one of the greatest British orators, once said: "I reach out my hand to the people and draw them to me. Like children, they seem then." Winston Churchill's rhetoric in the Second World War can sound overblown today, but it was what the British people needed at the time.

Oh, and it does make a difference to have something to say. In his radio Fireside Chat of the 1930s and 1940s, President Roosevelt was reassuring the American people about the state of the nation and getting them used to the idea that the United States might have to fight the dark forces gathering in Europe and the Far East.

In the Cuban Missile Crisis, perhaps the single most terrifying moment of the Cold War, President John F. Kennedy insisted on hearing his advisers' different points of view before deciding how to deal with the Soviet challenge in Cuba. (Interestingly he had also just read Barbara Tuchman's classic book on the outbreak of the First World War, which showed how easily leaders can make mistakes and stumble into a conflict they didn't really want.) As Kennedy also demonstrates, choosing good and independent subordinates is a safeguard against making bad decisions.

Bismarck famously said that a statesman "must wait until he hears the steps of God sounding through events, then leap up and grasp the hem of his garment". And he did that when he manoeuvred across the chess board of Europe to create the new state of Germany.

Effective leaders are able to manage both the day-to-day issues that press in on them and the bigger picture. That is where a knowledge of history helps, as it shows patterns amidst all the noise of current events and reminds of possibilities other than those we are used to.

And now for some warnings.

The French talk about "déformation professionnelle", which means the way your profession or your post can subtly warp your judgement so that you only see things from one perspective.

Before the First World War, the German General Staff were told to develop plans to ensure Germany's victory, if necessary against France and Russia at the same time. They came up with a brilliant and detailed plan to fight a holding action against Russia in the East and, by throwing the bulk of their forces against France in the West, bring its surrender rapidly. Because it made military sense, German troops would invade neutral Belgium on their way to Paris. Politically, though, it was a disastrous decision. Germany's violation of Belgian neutrality brought Britain into the war, virtually ensuring its defeat.

Power is also dangerous, because those who hold it start to think they can do whatever they choose. Think of Richard Nixon trying to use the institutions of the American government to shut down the Watergate scandal. Or the American war in Vietnam. In the 1960s the United States was the most powerful economic and military power in the world. Its leaders assumed they could easily overwhelm North Vietnam and bring its leaders to the bargaining table. They did not bother to wonder whether their enemies (and their Vietnamese allies) might have different ideas. Robert McNamara, who was Secretary of Defence at the time, later said, "Our misjudgements of friend and foe alike reflected our profound ignorance of the history, culture and politics of the people in the area and the personalities and habits of their leaders."

In ancient Rome, when a successful leader enjoyed a triumphal march, a slave stood behind him and whispered in his ear: "Remember you are human." Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the father of modern Turkey, was the rare leader possessing great power who knew his own limitations. It is said that he issued a standing order that any instruction he gave in the evenings - when he liked to carouse with his friends - should be ignored.

History has far more examples of leaders whose conviction of infallibility grow in proportion to their power. With most of Europe lying at his feet, Napoleon came to think he was invincible. He found himself enmeshed in a pointless and costly war in Spain. Then to bring the young Tsar Alexander to heel he invaded Russia, the mistake that led to his eventual downfall.

Adolf Hitler had a string of successes - the seizing of Austria and Czechoslovakia, the defeat of France, the partition of the centre of Europe with the Soviet Union - which convinced him that he was infallible. Against his generals' advice he followed Napoleon into Russia. When German troops encountered resistance, Hitler refused to let them retreat. It was the beginning of the end.

Relinquishing power is one of the hardest things to do. Yet, as the old joke has it, graveyards are full of people whose tombstones read: "They thought they were indispensable." The 16th century Emperor Charles V who voluntarily abdicated as Holy Roman Emperor and retired to a monastery is highly unusual.

Far more often, leaders have chosen to stay on when they should have bowed out. Without intending to, they often undo much of their own work and cause problems for their successors. An old and increasingly frail Winston Churchill should not have tried to be prime minister again in 1951. His government drifted, while his chosen successor Anthony Eden grew increasingly embittered.

A final word: You can have all the qualities that make a great leader - from determination to vision to sheer ability - but if you don't have luck and good timing, you will never get a chance to show what you can do.

Without the French Revolution, which swept aside the old order and opened up rapid advancement for men of talent, Napoleon would have remained in obscurity. If the Tsarist regime in Russia had not collapsed during the First World War, an impoverished exile called Vladimir Lenin would never have had a chance to carry out the coup d'état in St Petersburg which gave his tiny Bolshevik Party power for the next 70 years. So if I have one piece of advice for would-be leaders, it is read some history.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

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Napoleon, Empress Wu, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Oliver Cromwell, Akbar, Stalin. History provides many examples of strong leaders who left their marks, for better or for worse. But what the past will not do is provide the magic formula for how to become an effective leader.

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How Leaders Create a Vision to Inspire

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Lead With Vision

Leaders create a vision and engage a community to achieve it.

What does it mean to lead with vision?

It's a question that authors Bonnie Hagemann, Simon Vetter, and John Maketa researched extensively, surveying over 400 companies in search of the answer.

I recently spoke with the authors about their new book, LEADING WITH VISION: The Leader's Blueprint for Creating a Compelling Vision and Engaging the Workforce.
Would you share the story about "going up the stairs two steps at a time" and how it impacted your view of leadership and culture?
Yes, of course. Back in 2006 I had a meeting with Jim Bolt, the founder of Executive Development Associates (EDA), to discuss how I would run the company. Jim had been developing senior leaders since the early 1980s and was a renowned expert in the field. I knew I had much to learn from Jim and hoped we could work together. I didn't know at the time that the very first piece of advice he would give me would shape and inform every leadership decision I have made since. Before I left that meeting, Jim handed me a book from his shelf called Let My People Go Surfing by Yvon Chouinard, founder and CEO of Patagonia, a sports clothing company.

The book is the story of Patagonia with an emphasis, almost a plea, for sustainability. Jim wanted me to start thinking about how we could help with this effort, I read the book but it was something else within that captured my attention. The CEO of Patagonia wanted to build an organization where employees were compelled to come to work. Yvon Chouinard wanted a company where employees were a part of their environmental mission. He wanted employees to be wholly engaged and committed. He said, "Work had to be enjoyable on a daily basis. We all had to come to work on the balls of our feet and go up the stairs two steps at a time" (Chouinard 2005, 45).

That statement struck me as extremely important. Imagine the creativity and courage and productivity that would come from a workforce like that. The power of it is immeasurable. That is what visionary leadership can do. It can unleash the power of the workforce.

The 4 C's of a Visionary Leader
What's your definition of a visionary leader?
A visionary leader is a person who steps out and creates a clear picture of a positive future state. It takes a lot of courage because creating a vision for the future is basically imagining what could be and what should be. That feels very risky for leaders. It is stepping out of the norm. There are certain things they will need to do. In the book we explain further by putting it into 4 Cs. They must:

1. Embody courage,

2. Forge clarity,

3. Build connectedness, and

4. Shape the culture.

What advice do you have for a leader struggling with creating a compelling vision?
Most leaders struggle to create a compelling vision. They must first push past their limbic brain system which will naturally do its job of keeping the leader "safe" by trying to keep them from stepping out in this leadership capacity. This is a significant struggle for many, so we spend some time in the book helping leaders overcome this.

Then they must bring others along. There are specific actions to each step, but here are the high points:

Imagine the invisible - paint the picture of a positive future state

Vet the vision - ensure it is the right vision for the organization

Create options - ensure that you will not be made or broken by having only one option on how to get there

Decide for change - a compelling vision will require changes, so determine what they are and think through the best method to get there

Communicate thoroughly - make the messaging around the vision as clear as a well-played music note

Foster understanding - ensure that every person understands his or her role in making the vision a reality

Overcome the Common Obstacles
What are some of the most common obstacles to leading with vision? Would you share one and what to do about it?
Every leader will experience his/her own unique obstacles, but we did find some that were common. They include

A lack of unity in the workforce,

Preconceived notions about how things should be

A lack of buy-in throughout the organization

A lack of urgency, and

A lack of personal development by the leader

Creating a compelling vision means that it is compelling for the employees. This is a core message in the book. The leaders must capture the hearts of the employees. Every company is a story, and every employee wants to feel like an important part of that story. Visionary leadership means that everyone knows their part in the story, and they feel like their part is important to achieving the vision.
What's a Makahiki and how can leaders everywhere benefit from it?
That word comes from a story we share in the book about OluKai, a Hawaiian-inspired premium footwear company. They believe that connectedness extends to everything, particularly the brand's relationship with its employees. Everyone who works at or with

OluKai comes together as a true family. When they have sales meetings, they don't call them sales meetings. Instead, they call them Makahiki, which is a Hawaiian word for reunion or gathering. It's a way that they create connectedness for the employees, and connectedness is one of the key ingredients for visionary leadership.

Skip, there's another important word in the Olukai story.

They take their vision beyond the employees all the way to those who wear their shoes with the spirit of Aloha. Most of us have heard this word but had little understanding of its depth. It is a Hawaiian word and means a lot of things. It means life, love, hello, and it also means goodbye. It's a very complex word. The literal meaning of Aloha is 'the breath of life.' It comes from Alo, meaning presence, and ha, meaning breath. Aloha is a way of living and treating each other with love and respect.

"At OluKai, our vision is grounded in our belief that everybody, no matter where you are, you can live Aloha, a life full of love and happiness."

They use their brand as a way to unlock that spirit in all of us.

"We want people who wear a pair of OluKai sandals to connect emotionally to a place and a lifestyle to which they aspire. Maybe they may have never been to a beautiful beach in Hawaii, but they know they want to go. Our footwear brings people one step closer. It's a highly aspirational message that we are delivering."
Toward the end of the book, you talk about the power of storytelling. How do you coach leaders on becoming better storytellers? What's the role of positivity?
I think our biggest challenge with leaders is to help them understand the power of storytelling. Think about it, visionary leaders move us. Some of the greatest, most energizing, and best visionary messages of all time are from United States presidents. We remember some of these messages more than others, just as we remember some presidents more than others because some of them-including Lincoln, Kennedy, and Reagan-touched us all. They were masters at painting a picture of where we needed to go and inspiring others to come along.

Storytelling makes the message stick. That is why we used this method ourselves in the book by including very interesting stories that are tied to our key points.

We coach leaders to do the same. We tell them to:

Put things in motion. They stir things up, agitate the status quo, and create a sense not only of "can do" but also of "want to."

Excite others through their lively thoughts and behavior. Their energy motivates and inspires people to excel, and

Pull others together and propel them in the same direction.

This is not a sidebar for leaders. Visionary leadership is part of their job. It takes time, careful thought, creativity, energy, and passion, but when it's done well, it has incredible returns.
When you work with an executive team, and you sense immediately that they are firing on all cylinders and doing most everything right, what do you notice about them? What qualities of leadership are driving the team?
We love to see executive teams getting it right. One of the first indicators that a team is on the right track is passion. If the leaders are passionate about where the company is going, the rest of the workforce is likely to follow. They know the vision and are crystal clear about who they are as a company. They have a strategy to achieve the vision, and they put their decisions through a filter of whether or not it will advance their strategy. They value each other as team members and value the employees who bring their talents to the company. They care about each other and have respect for each other. This gives them the safety to have healthy debates and vet decisions thoroughly with diverse viewpoints. They succeed and fail together. They take calculated risks. They keep the organization and the employees moving forward.

For more information, see LEADING WITH VISION: The Leader's Blueprint for Creating a Compelling Vision and Engaging the Workforce.

Do you have a VISION for YOU? What type of leader do you want to be? By signing up for FREE to Leadership Insights, you will have a positive stream of insights to reimagine your future! Plus get Skip's free leadership book and digital seminar on creativity.subscribe]

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How Leaders Create A Compelling Vision to Engage & Inspire

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Leaders create a vision and engage a community to achieve it. What does it mean to lead with vision? It's a question that authors Bonnie Hagemann, Simon Vetter, and John Maketa researched extensively, surveying over 400 companies in search of the answer.