Swedish climate change activist Greta Thunberg has refused the offer of a $50,000 environmental award prize over her campaigning.

The 16-year-old was recently honored by the Nordic Council, a regional body for inter-parliamentary cooperation, at a ceremony in Stockholm. However, despite saying the offer was a "great honour", Thunberg opted to turn down the award and prize money.

In a statement posted to her official Instagram account, Thunberg wrote: "The climate movement does not need any more awards. What we need is for our politicians and the people in power start to listen to the current, best available science. The Nordic countries have a great reputation around the world when it comes to climate and environmental issues."

She continued:  "The gap between what the science says is needed to limit the increase of global temperature rise to below 1,5 or even 2 degrees - and politics that run the Nordic countries is gigantic. And there are still no signs whatsoever of the changes required. The Paris Agreement, which all of the Nordic countries have signed, is based on the aspect of equity, which means that richer countries must lead the way."

She added: "We belong to the countries that have the possibility to do the most. And yet our countries still basically do nothing. So until you start to act in accordance with what the science says is needed to limit the global temperature rise below 1,5 degrees or even 2 degrees celsius, I - and Fridays For Future in Sweden - choose not to accept the Nordic Councils environmental award nor the prize money of 500 000 Swedish kronor."

This news comes just a few weeks after Thunberg missed out on winning the Nobel Peace Prize, after she was considered to be the bookie's favorite for the famous humanitarian award.

Swedish climate change activist Greta Thunberg has refused the offer of a $50,000 environmental award prize over her campaigning.

The 16-year-old was recently honored by the Nordic Council, a regional body for inter-parliamentary cooperation, at a ceremony in Stockholm. However, despite saying the offer was a "great honour", Thunberg opted to turn down the award and prize money.

In a statement posted to her official Instagram account, Thunberg wrote: "The climate movement does not need any more awards. What we need is for our politicians and the people in power start to listen to the current, best available science. The Nordic countries have a great reputation around the world when it comes to climate and environmental issues."

She continued:  "The gap between what the science says is needed to limit the increase of global temperature rise to below 1,5 or even 2 degrees - and politics that run the Nordic countries is gigantic. And there are still no signs whatsoever of the changes required. The Paris Agreement, which all of the Nordic countries have signed, is based on the aspect of equity, which means that richer countries must lead the way."

She added: "We belong to the countries that have the possibility to do the most. And yet our countries still basically do nothing. So until you start to act in accordance with what the science says is needed to limit the global temperature rise below 1,5 degrees or even 2 degrees celsius, I - and Fridays For Future in Sweden - choose not to accept the Nordic Councils environmental award nor the prize money of 500 000 Swedish kronor."

This news comes just a few weeks after Thunberg missed out on winning the Nobel Peace Prize, after she was considered to be the bookie's favorite for the famous humanitarian award.