An 11-year-old schoolboy from Wester Ross has been praised by teenage activist Greta Thunberg for his environmental campaigning.
Finlay Pringle from Ullapool has hit the headlines for his own campaigns – particularly over the marine environment and joining school eco protest strikes inspired by Greta.
Last week Finlay and his sister Ella, 10, attended an international summit of young climate activists, who marched through the streets of Lausanne, Switzerland, and called for concrete measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Finlay gave an address to the Smile for Future meeting attended by about 400 people from 38 countries, including Swedish climate activist, Greta.
But Finlay’s fame went ahead of him.
“Greta said ‘you’re Finlay from Ullapool’,” said Finlay’s father Geoff.
“They spoke about the environment and Finlay thanked her for inspiring all the young climate activists around the world.”
Greta has become the first person to receive a GQ Men Of The Year award specifically created to celebrate her work on the global climate crisis.
Greta, 16, graces the cover of the latest issue of GQ ahead of winning the Game Changer of the Year Award in September. She has encouraged students across the world to skip school and call for action from world leaders.
Greta – who is taking a year off school to raise awareness of climate change – said she would be accepting the award on behalf of every school child who joined the ‘Fridays for Future’ movement. The new gong ‘recognises Thunberg’s dedication to raising global awareness of climate change’ GQ said.
Greta is set to attend the UN climate summit in New York in September, travelling by racing yacht and avoiding planes as well as polluting cruise ships.
Finlay also has his own fan club. TV wildlife presenter Chris Packham describes him as “inspirational.”
Finlay hit the headlines last year when he was “sacked” by a group as an ambassador for sharks and subject to scout leaders trolling him after he simply posted online his opposition to a controversial sea adventure project by TV survival expert Bear Grylls.
But he was hailed as a hero by BBC Springwatch presenter Mr Packham for standing up to the intimidation.
