Greta Thunberg’s two-week trip across Atlantic in ‘zero-carbon yacht’ may generate more emissions than it saves as two of the crew have to FLY to New York to bring the boat back to Europe
- On Wednesday, the Swedish eco-campaigner left Plymouth on the Malizia II
- Skipper Boris Herrmann and team founder Pierre Casiraghi will fly back from US
- The 16-year-old is set to address the UN climate change conference next month
Greta Thunberg’s trans-Atlantic voyage on a ‘zero-carbon yacht’ has been rocked by revelations that crew will fly to New York in a gas-guzzling plane to bring the boat back to Europe.
It is claimed that this would generate more emissions than the yacht saves and threatens to leave the 16-year-old’s plans to chart an environmentally friendly route to the United States in tatters.
On Wednesday, the Swedish eco-campaigner left Plymouth on the Malizia II for a two-week journey to the United Nations headquarters where she will address a climate change meeting.
But last night, it was confirmed that two crew will have to fly to the US east coast city to man the 60ft yacht on its return.
Greta Thunberg, 16, is sailing across the Atlantic in a ‘zero-carbon yacht’ to chart an environmentally friendly route to the UN climate conference in New York
But is has been revealed that two crew will fly to New York to bring the boat back, and it is also expected that skipper Boris Herrmann (left) and Team Malizia founder Pierre Casiraghi (middle) will fly back to Europe
On Wednesday, the Swedish eco-campaigner left Plymouth on the Malizia II for a two-week journey to the US east coast
‘We added the trip to New York City at very short notice, and as a result two people will need to fly over to the US in order to bring the boat back,’ a Team Malizia spokeswoman told the Times.
She added: ‘The world has not yet found a way to make it possible to cross an ocean without a carbon footprint.’
And a further two sailors who are currently on board the Malizia II with Greta may use air travel to get back to Europe.
Skipper Boris Herrmann and Pierre Casiraghi, the nephew of Prince Albert of Monaco, will reportedly be boarding flights for their return trip.
Greta, who is taking a sabbatical year from school, will be joining large-scale climate demonstrations and speaking at the UN Climate Action Summit hosted by secretary-general Antonio Guterres in New York in September.
