Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg on Wednesday said she would travel across the Atlantic Ocean by catamaran to attend the UN Climate Change Conference (COP25), which will open on December 2 in Madrid.
Thunberg announced earlier in November that due to Spain taking over COP25 hosting duties from Chile, she would need help with getting back to Europe on sustainable transportation. Spanish Ecological Transition Minister Teresa Ribera had offered Thunberg help on her journey.
"So happy to say I'll hopefully make it to COP25 in Madrid. I've been offered a ride from Virginia on the 48ft catamaran La Vagabonde. Australians @Sailing_LaVaga, Elayna Carausu & @_NikkiHenderson from England will take me across the Atlantic. We sail for Europe tomorrow morning!" Thunberg wrote on Twitter.
In August, the teen activist traveled to New York from the United Kingdom on a zero-emission carbon-neutral racing yacht to participate in the UN Climate Action Summit.
In late October, Chilean President Sebastian Pinera said Santiago canceled the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit and the COP25 climate forum amid large-scale anti-government protests in the country. Spain stepped up to host the Conference in Madrid, which was accepted by the international community.
Thunberg became an international celebrity in August 2018 when she had her first "climate strike" by skipping school to protest outside the Swedish parliament. She later continued to do this every Friday. Her actions inspired the Fridays for Future movement, which swept across Sweden and other countries, uniting young people who are dissatisfied with the lack of climate action by authorities.