(CNN) Teen climate change activist Greta Thunberg was awarded the 2019 Nordic Council Environment Prize, but she won't be accepting it.

Thunberg said on Instagram on Tuesday that she received the award but declined to accept it because "the climate movement does not need any more awards."

The 16-year-old also called on Nordic countries to take more climate action.

"The Nordic countries have a great reputation around the world when it comes to climate and environmental issues," she said in a written message on Instagram. "There is no lack of bragging about this. There is no lack of beautiful words. But when it comes to our actual emissions and our ecological footprints per capita -- if we include our consumption, our imports as well as aviation and shipping -- then it's a whole other story."

Thunberg said it was a great honor to be recognized, but she will decline the award until Nordic countries take the action she sees as necessary to change the world. She said there is a large gap between what science says is necessary and the politics that run the Nordic countries, and she sees no signs of the changes required.

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