At the age of 20, one of my greatest accomplishments was being accepted into university and successfully navigating the challenges of living in a new city without causing any harm to myself through excessive alcohol use. This is a common achievement among many young adults.

On the day of her 20th birthday (Tuesday, January 3rd), Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg's accomplishments differed greatly from the typical young adult's.

Greta Thunberg, whose full name is Greta Tintin Eleonora Ernman Thunberg, was born on January 3, 2003, in Stockholm, Sweden. Her parents are opera singer Malena Ernman and actor Svante Thunberg.

Thunberg first learned about climate change at the age of 8, and subsequently struggled with depression as she wondered why more was not being done to protect the planet.

In her 2018 TedxTalk, Thunberg said: "I was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, OCD and selective mutism. That basically means I only speak when I think it's necessary. Now is one of those moments."

Thunberg gained fame at the age of 15 for protesting outside the Swedish Parliament, calling for more action on climate change. Instead of participating in typical teenage activities like attending house parties, stealing cigarettes from her parents, and staying out late, Thunberg chose to take a stand on a pressing global issue.

At the age of 16, Thunberg spoke at the United Nations Climate Summit in 2019, despite her father's wish for her to not miss any school.

Thunberg addressed the delegates, saying: "People are suffering, people are dying, entire ecosystems are collapsing. We are in the beginning of a mass extinction and all you talk about is money and fairytales of eternal economic growth. How dare you."

Thunberg's emotional speech caught the attention of several world leaders, including former US President Donald Trump, who later mocked her on Twitter.

Despite being young, Thunberg has proven to be a formidable force in the fight for climate action. She inspired a global strike that took place in 4,500 locations across 150 countries. When Trump mocked her on Twitter, Thunberg hit back by trolling him in her Twitter bio.

Thunberg has faced criticism and insults from several older, white, middle-class men, including former US President Donald Trump and former Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson, who called her a "spoilt little brat." Piers Morgan also accused Thunberg of "abusing loads of adults."

Thunberg recently engaged in a public disagreement with Andrew Tate. She proved to be both clever and quick-witted, ultimately having the last laugh when Tate was arrested.

Thunberg even took to Twitter to troll him about the incident, and one of her replies ended up being one of the top 10 most-liked tweets of all time.

However, it is important to focus on the issue that Thunberg is most passionate about: the fight against the climate crisis.

Throughout her 20 years of life, Thunberg has accomplished more in the fight against climate change than most people her age combined.

In recognition of her efforts to raise awareness about climate change, scientists have even named a new species of beetle after Thunberg, honoring her "outstanding contributions."

Thunberg has already won the hearts of the public with her actions. In 2019, she declined to accept an environmental award worth £40,000, and also donated her €1 million Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity check to climate organizations.

Thunberg has demonstrated her commitment to her beliefs by reaching out to boat owners for a lift to the COP25 Climate Summit in an effort to travel in the most environmentally-friendly way possible.

It is brave and admirable for someone, especially someone so young, to speak out so fiercely against world leaders, accusing them of "betraying us" in their failure to take sufficient action to protect and save the planet. Thunberg's actions demonstrate her courage and conviction.

Thunberg has had a significant influence on many young people, leading to the term "Greta effect" being coined to describe it.

It is not surprising that Thunberg was named TIME's "Person of the Year" in 2019 and nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize on two separate occasions, given her impressive accomplishments and impact.

Happy birthday, Greta!