
London - Swedish teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg will set sail for New York on Wednesday, crossing the Atlantic in a racing yacht with no shower or toilet to join protests in the United States and take part in a United Nations summit.
To avoid travelling by air, Thunberg is making her trans-Atlantic trip on board the 60-ft yacht, the Malizia II, fitted with solar panels and underwater turbines that produce electricity onboard, with the aim of making the journey zero-carbon.
"I might feel a bit seasick and it's not going to be comfortable but that I can live with," Thunberg told BBC TV in Plymouth, southwest England, from where she is due to leave on Wednesday afternoon.
"If it's really hard then I just have to think it's only for two weeks then I can go back to as usual," said the 16-year-old who will be accompanied by her father, Svante, and a cameraman on the journey.
Earlier this month, the boat's skipper told Reuters the teenage activist, who has become a figurehead for young environmental protesters, faced a challenging voyage on board the yacht which is designed for speed rather than luxury.