As Greta Thunberg has recently regained a lot of media attention for her activities, the former darling of climate issues has simultaneously become the target of criticism.

When she, in the aftermath of October 7, 2023, posted a statement in support of Palestinians in Gaza, the critique hailed down on her. Not only did the Israeli Ministry of Education remove any reference to her as a role model from the curriculum, but she has received tremendous backlash from western media and organizations calling her an antisemite among other thing.

Nearing the end of the last decade, Greta Thunberg, had become a darling of the media and diplomats for her outspokenness on climate issues and her innocent image. The biggest proof of Thunbergs tremendous impact on the global climate change debate was in September 2019 when the U.N. invited her to speak at the Climate Action Summit. That same year, she additionally held speeches at the European Parliament, the British parliament, the Austrian World summit and others. She even gave name to the ‘Greta Effect’ for spreading awareness about climate change and inspiring young people to engage in activism through the ‘Fridays for Future’ movement.

Before joining the Global Flotilla Sumud, Thunberg had already experienced policedetentions, the first one dating all the way back to 2023, where she was detained for her participation in a protest against the construction of a coal mine in Lützerath, Germany. Since then, she has been detained or arrested at least 10 times. Later that year in London for protesting the oil industry, and in The Hague and Copenhagen in 2024 for protesting the attacks on Gaza.

“No climate justice without human rights,” are Thunbergs own words. Her deep commitment to fighting climate change has not vanished, but what has changed is her discourse, her method and her age, leading to a decline in the embrace from media and diplomatic characters. Part of the public struggle to accept that Greta Thunberg is growing up, becoming an adult – and also a woman - with opinions, developing her analysis of the world and is no longer confined to being a moldable tool for green washing politics.

The shift from being a child, striking from school and holding cardboard signs to an outspoken humanitarian who commits crime for a political cause has been rocky. Add to that a cause which is widely considered controversial, as well as the misogynist tendencies of the internet. Thunberg has gone from a darling to an almost taboo.

What Greta Thunberg is demonstrating is the price of staying authentic and sticking to your intentions, even with worldwide attention. She has not wavered from her goals in order to gain an attractive position or other opportunities, but she keeps on advocating for human rights, climate justice and inspiring youth to protest and engage in activism. The ‘Greta Effect’ is alive, even though the girl has become a woman.