Google search data can show that we are more interested in the climate when Greta Thunberg is more visible than ever before. Clear peaks of climate interest can be seen both in connection with the school strike in March and with the US trip.
The number of searches related to the climate reached its highest point ever in March 2019.
By compiling data from searches done on Google, we can see that the interest in the climate, at least in terms of how much we search for it, has never been higher than when Greta Thunberg appeared in the media. March 15 was the date of her school strike, the number of climate-related searches was then the highest since the measurements began in 2004.
March this year is the only time the interest in the climate has been greater than, for example, the interest in fashion. Even in the US, you can see a big impact from Greta, the single fastest-growing searches within the US climate are: Climate Strike September 20, NYC Climate Strike, Greta Thunberg and Climate Strike.
There are many opinions about what Greta should and should not do. But clearly, what she is doing works. If the goal is to arouse interest in the climate, then she has achieved it. The data clearly shows this.
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