Climate activist Greta Thunberg has been named TIME magazine's Person of Year for 2019. The 16-year-old from Sweden beat New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Hong Kong democracy protestors to win award. Ms Thunberg shot to fame in 2018 for raising people's awareness of threat to planet from climate change. She started global movement when she decided to go on climate strike outside the Swedish parliament in August 2018. Schoolchildren around world then followed her example. She has since addressed United Nations in New York and has met the Pope. After hearing about award, she tweeted: "Wow, this is unbelievable! I will share this great honour."
Greta Thunberg is youngest person ever to receive award. TIME magazine wrote about why it gave prize to Ms Thunberg. It said she has, "succeeded in creating global attitudinal shift" in getting millions of people to join "worldwide movement calling for urgent change". It added: "Greta has offered moral call to those who are willing to act, and put shame on those who are not." Not everyone is happy with Ms Thunberg receiving award. Donald Trump Jr said TIME was using teenager "as marketing gimmick". In contrast, Hillary Clinton tweeted: "I am grateful for all she's done to raise awareness of climate crisis, and her willingness to tell hard, motivating truths."
