It is one of these photos that evoke a whole host of associations: Greta Thunberg, the most famous environmental activist in the world, squats on the floor in a crowded ICE train of the Deutsche Bahn and is obviously not pleased to look out the window outside.
The 16-year-old posted the photo herself on Twitter, so it shows her on her way from the climate conference in Madrid back to her Swedish homeland. "Traveling through Germany on crowded trains," wrote the activist - and was demonstratively relaxed: "I'm finally on my way home!"
It is the end of a month-long journey: Thunberg, who recently named Time magazine the Personality of the Year, had sailed across the Atlantic twice on sailing yachts. Because airplanes emit particularly large amounts of climate-damaging CO2, they generally reject flying.
Traveling on overcrowded trains through Germany. And I'm finally on my way home! pic.twitter.com/ssfLCPsR8o
- Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) December 14, 2019In Madrid, Thunberg, who initiated the global climate protection alliance "Fridays for Future", spoke up several times. The Swede criticized, among other things, the lack of progress in climate policy. It looks like the conference is about to fail, she wrote on Twitter late Saturday night.
"Science is clear, but science is ignored." But that doesn't change anything in the fight she and her colleagues are fighting against the climate crisis: "Whatever happens: we will never give up. We have only just started," Thunberg tweeted.
Climate summit speech by Greta Thunberg in the video:
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Negotiations in Madrid continue more than a day and a half after the originally planned end. Observers did not expect a quick breakthrough (you can find out more about this hanging section here).
The fact that Thunberg didn't get a seat map on a train of the Deutsche Bahn amused many users on social media - there is a lot of ridicule about the train, delays and crowded trains, especially on Twitter. "Be prepared for delays," someone warned the activist.
However, it is doubtful whether the 16-year-old is really bothered by this: According to Deutsche Bahn's travel information, a train journey from Madrid to Stockholm takes about two whole days. How comfortable Thunberg's journey through Spain and France was is not yet known.