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Greta Thunberg has thanked broadcaster Sir David Attenborough for helping to inspire her into climate activism as the pair met for the first time over Skype.
The Swedish 16-year-old said that watching documentaries about the natural world when she was younger "opened her eyes" to what was happening with the environment.
Greta, who was guest editor of BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Monday where she chatted to Sir David on Skype, said: "Thank you for that because that was what made me decide to do something about it."
Sir David, 93, described the impact she has made as "astonishing," adding: "She has achieved things that many of us who have been working on it for 20-odd years have failed to achieve and that is you have aroused the world."
Greta started a school "strike for the climate" outside the Swedish parliament in August 2018, which has since spread all over the world to involve more than 100,000 schoolchildren.
The teenager's campaigning message that the world belongs to young people is "a very powerful one," according to Sir David, who told the youngster: "You have made it an argument that people have not been able to dodge."
He told Greta: "We don't want to spend our time marching through the streets but we have to. People of my generation should be very grateful to you."
Greta was nominated for this year's Nobel Peace Prize after spearheading a global movement demanding world leaders take action on climate change.
She is currently on a gap year from her education and heads back to school in August.
Greta Thunberg arrives at the COP25 Climate Conference 23 show all Greta Thunberg arrives at the COP25 Climate Conference 1/23 Climate change activist Greta Thunberg is escorted by police on her arrived at Atocha train station in Madrid Getty Images 2/23 REUTERS 3/23 AP 4/23 REUTERS 5/23 AFP via Getty Images 6/23 REUTERS 7/23 REUTERS 8/23 AP 9/23 REUTERS 10/23 REUTERS 11/23 Getty Images 12/23 Getty Images 13/23 Getty Images 14/23 Getty Images 15/23 Getty Images 16/23 Getty Images 17/23 REUTERS 18/23 REUTERS 19/23 REUTERS 20/23 AP 21/23 AP 22/23 AP 23/23 Getty Images 1/23 Climate change activist Greta Thunberg is escorted by police on her arrived at Atocha train station in Madrid Getty Images 2/23 REUTERS 3/23 AP 4/23 REUTERS 5/23 AFP via Getty Images 6/23 REUTERS 7/23 REUTERS 8/23 AP 9/23 REUTERS 10/23 REUTERS 11/23 Getty Images 12/23 Getty Images 13/23 Getty Images 14/23 Getty Images 15/23 Getty Images 16/23 Getty Images 17/23 REUTERS 18/23 REUTERS 19/23 REUTERS 20/23 AP 21/23 AP 22/23 AP 23/23 Getty Images
She has suffered with depression and feels her activism has been like a medicine.
She told Radio 4: "It really helps in getting out of that depression because it gives a feeling you are having an impact."
Greta added: "Just being part of a movement that has so much impact on the world is an amazing feeling. I wish that more people could feel like that."
Brazil's president Jair Bolsonaro has called her a "brat" after she condemned violence against indigenous people who were killed in the Amazon, while US President Donald Trump has suggested she has anger management issues.
Sir David Attenborough speaking on climate change 6 show all Sir David Attenborough speaking on climate change 1/6 Naturalist Sir David Attenborough giving evidence to the House of Commons Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee PA 2/6 PA 3/6 PA 4/6 PA 5/6 PA 6/6 PA 1/6 Naturalist Sir David Attenborough giving evidence to the House of Commons Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee PA 2/6 PA 3/6 PA 4/6 PA 5/6 PA 6/6 PA
She said she thought those attacks were "just funny", and were probably because she was part of a big movement they probably see as "a threat".
Greta, who was seen glaring from a distance at Mr Trump in the lobby at the United Nations in New York earlier this year, said that talking to him would have been a waste of time.
She said: "He is obviously not listening to scientists and experts. Why would he listen to me?
"So I probably wouldn't have said anything. I wouldn't have wasted my time."
Greta said she feels climate activists are being listened to, although the science is being ignored by people in politics, finance and the media.
She said she is going into the new year feeling "realistic", adding: "It is not like it is going to change overnight."
2DMirage on December 30th, 2019 at 21:05 UTC »
It is really disappointing that people are getting their jimmies rustled about the word “aroused”. Stop using urban dictionary and just use a dictionary, you peasants.
Danie447 on December 30th, 2019 at 20:41 UTC »
Along with Steve Irwin, David Attenborough is one of my personal heroes. These guys have done so much to change my life as well as impact the world. What a great accomplishment to get a compliment from that guy.
frodosdream on December 30th, 2019 at 18:27 UTC »
The poet Robert Bly once challenged an audience of adults, saying that "Adults either admire young people or resent & envy them. Which kind of adult are you?" David Attenborough is the right kind of adult.