Climate activist Greta Thunberg has applied to trademark her own name and the “Fridays for Future” movement to stop people impersonating her.

The 17-year-old said she and fellow activists have “absolutely no interests” in trademarks “but unfortunately it needs to be done”.

Writing on Instagram, Ms Thunberg said the application also covers “skolstrejk for klimatet” (Swedish for “school strike for climate”), which was the slogan on a sign she held during her solo protests outside Sweden’s parliament in 2018.

She said trademark protection is needed because her name and that of the movement “are constantly being used for commercial purposes without any consent whatsoever”.

“It happens, for instance, in marketing, selling of products and people collecting money in my and the movement’s name,” she wrote.

Ms Thunberg said registering the trademarks was also required to receive pro bono legal assistance in taking action against people or companies that try to use her name and the name of Fridays for Future for purposes that are not in line with the movement’s.

“Fridays for Future is a global movement founded by me,” she said. 

“It belongs to anyone taking part in it, above all the young people. It can – and must – not be used for individual or commercial purposes.”

Ms Thunberg said she and her family are also setting up a non-profit foundation to handle money from such things as book royalties, donations and prizes transparently.

The foundation’s aim “will be to promote ecological, climatic and social sustainability as well as mental health,” she wrote.

Additional reporting by Associated Press

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