Greta Thunberg awarded Time's 'Person of the Year'

Swedish teen climate activist Greta Thunberg was named Time magazine’s 2019 “Person of the Year” early Wednesday.

The 16-year-old activist, who was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize earlier this year, was awarded the honor over a shortlist of five other candidates, which included President TrumpDonald John TrumpRepublicans consider skipping witnesses in Trump impeachment trial Bombshell Afghanistan report bolsters calls for end to ‘forever wars’ Lawmakers dismiss Chinese retaliatory threat to US tech MORE and Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiTrump trade deal likely to sow division in Democratic presidential field Trump supporters at Pa. rally ‘upset’ after Democrats introduce impeachment articles California GOP candidate arrested on stalking charges MORE (D-Calif.).

The announcement was made on the “Today Show”, which featured an image of the upcoming Time cover featuring Thunberg.

Thunberg has become a key figure in the global fight against climate change since leading school strikes in her home country of Sweden and sparking similar demonstrations around the world, where young activists have refused to attend classes as a way to protest against inaction on the issue.

Thunberg, who is the youngest person ever to receive the honor from Time, has used her youth to her advantage, connecting with others in her generation to form a grassroots climate movement and spark global demonstrations.

She has made appearances at global events to discuss the impacts of climate change and raise awareness on the issue, recently speaking at the United Nations Climate Change Conference and the U.N. Climate Action Summit, where she gave an impassioned speech calling on world leaders to do more on the issue.

“This is all wrong. I shouldn’t be up here,” she said during her speech. “I should be back in school, on the other side of the ocean. Yet you all come to us young people for hope. How dare you!”

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She told Time that her inspiration behind the movement is being able to tell future generations of the work she did.

“I’d like to tell my grandchildren that we did everything we could,” she told the magazine. “And we did it for them and for the generations to come.”

The magazine also considered the anonymous whistleblower whose complaint about Trump’s call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky helped spark the House’s impeachment inquiry into the president.

Pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong were also considered for “Person of the Year.”

Time last year named a group of journalists who were imprisoned or killed as its 2018 “Person of the Year,” while Trump was named the runner-up and former special counsel Robert MuellerRobert (Bob) Swan MuellerTrump says he’ll release financial records before election, knocks Dems’ efforts House impeachment hearings: The witch hunt continues Speier says impeachment inquiry shows ‘very strong case of bribery’ by Trump MORE was the third choice.

Trump earned the “Person of the Year” label in 2016.

–This report was updated at 8:08 a.m.