A Teenager Is More Popular On Twitter Than Green Party Leaders Because Of Her Climate Change Advocacy
She's 16 years old. She's from Sweden.
She's got 187,000 followers on Twitter.
She's leading the movement against climate change and her name is Greta Thunberg.
Her fight against climate change began last summer when she began protesting alone outside of the Swedish government until they joined the Paris agreement.
Since then she has inspired students just like herself to join the fight to save the planet. Student-based protests have broken out in Australia, Belgium, Germany, America, Japan and most notably the UK, all thanks to Greta.
More and more people are listening to her message. In fact, her Twitter following shows just how much influence she has.
At 187,000 followers, she has more followers than Green Party leaders Jonathan Bartley and Sian Berry combined. Not only that, she's rapidly approaching the same amount of followers as the Green Party itself.
Greta has Aspergers and selective mutism, but she has not allowed either of those things to stop her from speaking out.
In fact, it is her choice of words that resonate so powerfully with so many.
In a recent speech, when addressing the idea that adults want to give children hope, she stated:
"I don't want your hope. I don't want you to be hopeful. I want you to panic. And act as if our house is on fire. Because it is."
People are in awe of the young woman's passion and fortitude.
The movement Greta launched is one of the most hopeful things since the work on the climate question has begun. Let… https://t.co/Kx7knwTRRt— Katja Bessonova (@Katja Bessonova) 1550338847.0
Sending much respect and gratitude to the young people inspired by the mighty @gretathunberg Your determination tha… https://t.co/qtTWtL9IEa— Ellie Goulding (@Ellie Goulding) 1550342101.0
My hero as a kid was Pippi Longstocking, the strongest girl in the World. I still love everything swedish author As… https://t.co/XzbMLHCXOC— Charlotte Helga Jakobsen (@Charlotte Helga Jakobsen) 1550358344.0
@BBCWorld @GretaThunberg Yes! Thank you for your courage, @GretaThunberg— Constance Dunbar (@Constance Dunbar) 1550164941.0
@BBCWorld Thank You Greta! I am thanking you for your passion on global warming! We need more people like you to ma… https://t.co/v4GO2jLXzv— John W. Mallow (@John W. Mallow) 1550161960.0
@BBCWorld @GretaThunberg please continue with your crusade about climate change. You are obtaining something that w… https://t.co/6RRYgTpbvP— Carlos Finat (@Carlos Finat) 1550197649.0
@BBCWorld @GretaThunberg Greta is amazing and inspiring.— Mark Jeffery (@Mark Jeffery) 1550164559.0
@GMB What a brilliant and articulate young person. Showing us all up and in a second language as well. The presente… https://t.co/8iW2gHzoww— oldcornishbloke 🇵🇸🇬🇧 (@oldcornishbloke 🇵🇸🇬🇧) 1550218319.0
Greta has her next global mobilization planned for March 15th.