ANALYSIS OF TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP IN GRETA THUNBERG’S 2019 CLIMATE ACTION SUMMIT SPEECH

The climate crisis is no longer a distant concern; it is a pressing and urgent reality. In 2023 alone, the world witnessed a series of catastrophic climate-related events, including the deadly wildfires on Maui, a devastating earthquake in Istanbul, and the relentless monsoons in Malaysia that wiped out thousands of homes in mere hours. These events are not isolated occurrences but rather indicative of a broader, escalating pattern driven by climate change. In recent years, youth activism has gained significant momentum, with young leaders advocating for a range of pressing global issues.. Prominent youth activists such as Greta Thunberg have become a symbol of youth leadership. Despite her young age, she has garnered international attention due to her courage to speak out on environmental issues. Taking leadership from the perspective of interactional sociolinguistics, this study discusses the enactment of transformational leadership by Thunberg by analysing the speech delivered by Thunberg at 2019 Climate Action Summit, New York. The analysis reveals that Thunberg embodies the four characteristics of transformational leadership, including individualised consideration, inspirational motivation, idealised influence, and intellectual stimulation. She enacts these through reflecting on her public speaking strategy, suggesting means for implementation and utilising metaphor to showcase her intellectual stimulation in her speech. This research contributes to the growing discourse on youth-led activism and demonstrates that leadership is defined not by age, but by the impact one can make.