Greta Thunberg appeals for help after travelling 'the wrong way'
The annual COP25 meeting has been moved from Chile to Madrid due to violent protests in the South American country.
Friday 1 November 2019 17:18, UK
Greta Thunberg says she has travelled halfway around the world "the wrong way" after the United Nations global climate meeting was moved from Chile to Madrid.
The conference had to make the last-minute change after Chile announced it was cancelling plans to host the meeting.
Ms Thunberg wrote on Twitter: "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:)"
She appealed for help to find transport which could get her across the Atlantic for the COP25 conference on 2 December.
The 16-year-old climate change activist expressed regret at not being able to visit South and Central America as planned.
"But this is of course not about me, my experiences or where I wish to travel," she wrote.
"We're in a climate and ecological emergency. I send my support to the people in Chile."
Chilean President Sebastian Pinera announced on Wednesday that his country would have to pull out of hosting the meeting, as well as a summit of Asia-Pacific leaders, because it is dealing with violent anti-government protests.
He said the government would need to "prioritise re-establishing public order" after at least a dozen people were killed.
The opportunity to host the COP25 conference is rotated every year between five regional groups and it is the turn of the Latin American and Caribbean countries to host the 2019 meeting.
Originally Brazil had been the host, but it pulled out in November last year.
Announcing Madrid as the new location, UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa thanked Spain for its "generous offer of support".
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She added: "It is encouraging to see countries working together in the spirit of multilateralism to address climate change, the biggest challenge facing this and future generations."
Greta Thunberg is among a number of delegates planning to attend who will now have to scramble to change their travel plans.
The teenager refuses to fly in an effort to cut down on her carbon footprint, so had travelled from England to New York on a sailing boat earlier this year.
She planned to travel overland to the Santiago meeting.
The climate conference is meant to allow countries to discuss how they can cut down on their greenhouse gas emissions.