Svante Thunberg thinks that Greta's daughter fighting climate change is "a bad idea" and denies behind her direction.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today program, Svante Thunberg, the father of Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg, said he did not support his daughter to drop out of school to fight climate change but could not stop it. little girl because of "family controversy".

"We don't support this. If she wants it, do it yourself," Svante said.

When asked if she was proud of her daughter, who was recently voted by Time magazine as "The Person of the Year," Svante replied: "No, I don't care about pride. "I am proud to have made a very small contribution by listening to her. I am pleased that we have chosen to listen to her."

Svante revealed that around 2016, Greta suffered from depression so much that she stopped talking and eating for three months, and refused to go to school. He and his wife, Malena, an opera singer, had to quit their jobs during this time, describing it as "the ultimate nightmare for parents". However, Svante said the fight against climate change "saved" Greta and she found her criticism "funny".

Greta began to leave school to protest outside the Swedish parliament in August 2018 and initiated the "Friday for the Future" movement. The movement then spread throughout the world, involving millions of teenagers.

When Greta traveled across the Atlantic in two weeks to New York, USA, in August for a United Nations climate conference, Mr. Svante also accompanied his daughter. He participated in several events with Greta but denied that he was an environmentalist.

"I did all that, I knew they were right but I didn't do it to protect the climate, but to save my children," Svante said. "I have two daughters and honestly they are all important to me. I just want them to be happy."

According to Svante, his wife stopped flying and stopped her entire singing career because her daughter opposed the plane.

"To be honest, she didn't do that to save the climate, she did it to save her daughter because she knew how much that meant for her and then, she saw her grow. and get a lot of energy from this, "Svante said.

Greta's father said he also became a vegetarian and his daughter "increasingly receives more energy" from this.

"Now you think she's unusual because she's special and she's very popular. But to me, she's a normal kid now, able to do anything other people do."

"She jumped around, laughed a lot, we had a lot of fun. She was in good spirits," Svante said.

When Greta was about to turn 17, her father insisted that "if she needs me there, I will try". "But I think she will do everything by herself every day, that's great," he said.