Time magazine named Swedish eco-activist Greta Thunberg the person of the year 2019, BBC reported.

Greta Thunberg turned out to be the youngest person of the year for the nearly 100-year history of this title, having beaten shortlisted Donald Trump, Xi Jinping, Mark Zuckerberg and protesters in Hong Kong this year.

Announcing Time's decision on NBC, editor-in-chief Edward Felsenthal said: "She became the biggest voice on the biggest issue facing the planet this year, coming from essentially nowhere to lead a worldwide movement."

Speaking at a UN climate summit in Madrid on Tuesday, an eco-activist, 16, said the next decade will be crucial for the Earth. She urged world leaders to stop using "creative PR" to avoid real action.