Greta Thunberg Asks For Lift Across The Atlantic As Climate Meeting Moves

gretathunberg/Instagram

Greta Thunberg is calling on boat owners to help her get back across the Atlantic Ocean after the COP25 Climate Summit was moved from Chile to Madrid. 

The climate change activist spent two weeks travelling from Britain to New York earlier this year, when she opted to travel in a sailing boat rather than a plane due to the carbon emissions involved in aviation.

Her trip paid off as she made waves – pun intended – at the UN Climate Summit, where she called out world leaders and demanded they take action in a passionate speech. However, the activist has now found herself needing to get back across the pond.

The 2019 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP25, was set to take place in Santiago, Chile, next month, but the country abandoned plans to host due to deadly anti-government protests taking place.

Around 25,000 delegates were expected to travel to Santiago for the event but on Friday, November 1, the UN revealed COP25 would be held in Spain instead.

Following the announcement, Greta took to Twitter to ask her followers for help getting back across the Atlantic to attend the event.

She wrote:

As #COP25 has officially been moved from Santiago to Madrid I’ll need some help.

It turns out I’ve traveled half around the world, the wrong way:)

Now I need to find a way to cross the Atlantic in November… If anyone could help me find transport I would be so grateful.

The 16-year-old went on to express her apologies to the residents of Chile, who she now won’t have time to visit.

Greta added:

I’m so sorry I’ll not be able to visit South and Central America this time, I was so looking forward to this. But this is of course not about me, my experiences or where I wish to travel. We’re in a climate and ecological emergency.

I send my support to the people in Chile.

PA Images

Harjeet Singh, from environmental group ActionAid International, has said moving the climate change summit at such short notice will present ‘real barriers to participation’, The Guardian reported.

He pointed out:

Hotels in Madrid are already full. Last-minute flights are expensive. Visas can be difficult to obtain at short notice. This sudden decision is likely to shift the balance of power towards the wealthier countries of the global north.

Teresa Ribera, Spain’s ecological transition minister, responded to Greta’s plea for help, writing:

Dear Greta, it would be great to have you here in Madrid. You’ve made a long journey and help all of us to raise concern, open minds and enhance action. We would love to help you to cross the Atlantic back. Willing to get in contact to make it posible [sic].

Hopefully Greta will make it back across the ocean in good time.

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Emily Brown

Emily Brown first began delivering important news stories aged just 13, when she launched her career with a paper round. She graduated with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University, and went on to become a freelance writer and blogger. Emily contributed to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems before becoming a journalist at UNILAD, where she works on breaking news as well as longer form features.