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30th Dec 2019

WATCH: David Attenborough tells Greta Thunberg she has “woken up the world”

Rudi Kinsella

David Attenborough Greta Thunberg

High praise from the man himself – David Attenborough.

David Attenborough has heaped praise on Greta Thunberg for her work around the topic of climate change.

The two talked to each other (on Skype), with Attenborough saying that he is “very grateful” for Thunberg and her dedication to the cause.

He said: “She has achieved things that many of us have been working on for 20-odd years have failed to achieve.”

She responded similarly, saying: “I hope you understand how much difference you have made.”

Take a look:

As part of the same BBC broadcast, which was edited by Thunberg, her father spoke about his concerns with regards to her decision to become such a high-profile figure at such a young age.

Svante Thunberg said that he originally thought it was “a bad idea” for his daughter to take to the “front line” of the battle against climate change.

He spoke about the abuse and the negative reception that she often faces, saying: “Quite frankly, I don’t know how she does it, but she laughs most of the time. She finds it hilarious.”

“You think she’s not ordinary now because she’s special, and she’s very famous, and all these things. But to me she’s now an ordinary child – she can do all the things like other people can,” he said.

“She dances around, she laughs a lot, we have a lot of fun – and she’s in a very good place.”