16-Year-Old Climate Activist Arrives in New York on Zero-Emission Yacht

Swedish 16-year-old activist Greta Thunberg sails underneath the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge on the Malizia II racing yacht in New York Harbor as she nears the completion of her trans-Atlantic crossing in order to attend a United Nations summit on climate change in New York, U.S., August 28, 2019. REUTERS/Mike Segar

By Gabriella Borter NEW YORK, Aug 28 (Reuters) – Teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg sailed into New York Harbor on Wednesday in a zero-carbon emissions vessel, completing her 14-day journey from England to partake in a United Nations climate summit in New York next month.

The 16-year-old Swedish activist, who set sail from Plymouth, England, on Aug. 14, attracted international attention last year when she started missing school on Fridays to protest against political inaction on climate change and inspired youth around the world to do the same.

“Land!! The lights of Long Island and New York City ahead,” Thunberg tweeted around 4 a.m. EDT (0800 GMT) on Wednesday, posting a picture of tiny dots of light on a dark horizon.

Rather than travel in an airplane that burns fuel and contributes to atmospheric carbon pollution, Thunberg opted to make her trans-Atlantic journey carbon emission-free by sailing on the Malizia II, a 60-foot yacht equipped with solar panels and underwater turbines that produce electricity onboard.

The boat has no shower or toilets, and those aboard including Thunberg’s father and crew members planned to eat freeze-dried food throughout the trip.

In addition to the U.N. Climate Action Summit in New York, Thunberg intends to join the COP 25 climate change conference in Santiago, Chile, in December. (Reporting by Gabriella Borter Editing by Paul Simao)

(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019.

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