Greta Thunberg wins 'alternative Nobel' as Climate Strikes ramp up in New Zealand and Europe

It's been a big week for environmental activist Greta Thunberg.

Hot on the heels of her fiery speech at the UN Climate Action Summit, the 16-year-old Swedish schoolgirl has been named one of the 2019 Right Livelihood Award winners.

The international award, widely known as the "alternative Nobel Prize", was established in 1980 to "honour and support courageous people solving global problems".

"I'm deeply grateful for being one of the recipients of this great honour," Thunberg said in a statement.

"But of course, whenever I receive an award, it is not me who is the winner.

"I am part of a global movement of school children, youth and adults of all ages who have decided to act in defence of our living planet. I share this award with them."

The recognition comes as the student-led climate strikes ramped up again on Friday across Canada, India, Europe and also closer to home in New Zealand, where tens of thousands took to the streets in protest, dubbed 'Fridays for Future'.

Organisers called for inter-generational participation to demand action from the government on climate change.

Mayor Justin Lester said "40,000 Wellingtonians are standing up for our future" in the Wellington climate march alone.

"This is important for all of us, young and old," Lester posted on social media.

In Auckland as well, Mayor Phil Goff tweeted "tens of thousands of young people joined the #climatestrike in Auckland and across New Zealand today, adding their voices to the call for global action on climate change."

Greta, who inspired the movement, tweeted her support for New Zealand strikers.

While the Right Livelihood awards were announced at the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Stockholm, Sweden, earlier this week, Greta will pick up her prize at the official ceremony on December 4.

Aminatou Haidar (Western Sahara), Guo Jianmei (China) and Davi Kopenawa / Hutukara Yanomami Association (Brazil) are the other recipients of the award.

Each of the winners will be awarded 1 million Swedish krona (AU $150K).

"With the 2019 Right Livelihood Award, we honour four practical visionaries whose leadership has empowered millions of people to defend their inalienable rights and to strive for a liveable future for all on planet Earth," said Ole von Uexkull, executive director of the Right Livelihood Foundation.