Opinion: Does Greta Thunberg truly deserve Nobel Prize?

When Greta Thunberg first heard about global warming, she was 8 and when she started giving speeches on climate changes and protested in front of the Swedish parliament with the placard “school climate strikes” she was 15! Well, it is nothing less than phenomenal that she has stood up for a great cause like climate change from a very young age. I salute her bravery, her conviction to make this planet a better place to live. And I don’t have any problems with her age either. I am in fact proud of what she has managed to achieve at the age of 16. But with all the contrasting side effects of her fame and her defiance, her approach to tackle a global problem of such epic proportion having no tangible outcomes yet, is her deed worth a Nobel? 

SKOLSTREJK FOR KLIMATET in Swedish translates to "School strike for Climate"

Her approach

According to Ms. Thunberg, the prospect of global warming and the rising temperature across the globe has frightened her, so she is not going to school and protesting. Well, good. But giving blunt replies to global leaders in public forums and handing out leaflets with words like "I am doing this because you adults are shitting on my future." is not the right approach to solve the global warming problem.

Ms. Thunberg is too young to even fathom what it takes to understand the sort of a systematic approach to solve a serious problem like climate change. She goes on to say (in her own words) "I want you to act as if the house was on fire — because it is". And "We're facing an immediate unprecedented crisis that has never been treated as a crisis and our leaders are all acting like children”. While this behavior of hers could be attributed to her being diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, climate change is not a traffic problem to be solved by envisaging a mass rapid transit system. She needs to calm down. Global warming cannot be addressed with the urgency that she defines. She is nobody to dictate the urgency. There are capable people and governing bodies to act on. She needs to work on her approach to address real issues. Above all, she should stop her ‘How Dare You’ kind of overdramatic speeches and get in terms with the fact that speeches doesn’t change much.

Setting a detrimental example

Greta Thunberg’s success story, on one front has gained greater momentum and the world is grateful for the awareness she has managed to create about climate change. But on the other, a lot of youngsters all over, Sweden in particular, are fascinated by the idea of “Why go to school. Let’s protest in the name of climate change”. And why not; At 16, Greta has a colossal fame with a whooping 5.5 million Instagram followers, a Wikipedia page, invitations to give TED talks and get to travel across the world, and now Nobel prize nomination. What exactly has she done? Inventions? Discoveries? Humanity service? Nope! She just symbolized a global problem and BOOM! She is a messiah to save mother earth. 

Greta Thunberg's lunch en route Denmark - With paper cup, Plastic Vegan salad box and polythene bread cover

At 16, the idea of getting to limelight looks very lucrative and it is too fancy to not think and dream of such colossal fame for teens. it cannot be denied that she has set a detrimental example to others of her age group. This is a very dangerous state for the teens to be in. This has to be addressed by helping kids understand that the world out there isn’t an equal opportunity employer. Encourage them to deal with failures in life.

Nobel standards

Since childhood, I have always known the Nobel prize being awarded to the deserved candidates in recognition of academic, cultural or breakthrough scientific advances (except for peace prize). Perhaps the committee wants to set right expectations about climate changes. But IMHO, the nomination committee should have also considered the tangible achievements of Greta Thunberg and her contribution about the climate issue.

Hands with Vested interests(?)

Just Yesterday, climate activist Greta Thunberg along with 15 other children from around the world submitted a complaint to the Committee on the Rights of the Child. They targeted Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany and Turkey. In the complaint, she alleges that these countries are “recklessly causing and perpetuating life-threatening climate change [and] have failed to take necessary preventive and precautionary measures to respect, protect, and fulfill the petitioners’ rights.

Sounds something fishy? There you are! China, the highest emitter of Co2 is not even there in the list. This just adds to my suspicion that there could be political hands behind Greta’s motivation.

Malala symbolizing the girl’s education or Kashmir issues and Greta Thunberg getting nominated this year by symbolizing climate change has not just diminished the chances of identifying the really outstanding contributors of humanity, but a fundamentally wrong message is being sent across that it is cool to symbolize a social or economic problem and get elevated to the state of being known or talked about by millions, especially on account of notable achievements, when in real, you haven’t any.

I just hope that future for all of us is not as frightening as Greta Thunberg or Malala is trying to portray.