A teenager is riding across Great Britain for climate change
She's determined to send a message to politicians
16-year-old Jessie Stevens is riding 100 km a day, from her home in Devon, England, to Glasgow, Scotland. She is taking her bike as a means of transportation to attend the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26).
So lovely to see @Dolly2racer on Sunday when we said goodbye to Jessie and her team peoplepedalpower #ride2COP26 who are on their way to Glasgow. @Dolly2racer has just completed the most extraordinary journey, read about her here: https://t.co/evLv6dnqq0 pic.twitter.com/qUL6EpKQpL
— Cate Cody ??? (@CateCodyEco) October 28, 2021
It’s a 917 km ride, and the climate activist felt there was no greener way to get to the international conference, then ride her cargo bike with all of her gear. She left on Oct. 20 and several other cyclists have joined her on the ride to the climate change event.
A few more snaps from today’s #Ride2COP26 stage. pic.twitter.com/syrGZ4RsAg
— Pete Aylward ?? (@peteaylward) October 28, 2021
The young activist intends on delivering a message to politicians once she arrives. In a CBC interview with Carole Off, she said she took her bike as opposed to the train, despite that Britain having a reliable train system. “Our trains are really quite expensive for the average person and it would have cost me quite a lot of money to get there,” Stevens said. “Flying would have been so much cheaper for me, despite being much more ecologically destructive.”
A real honour to ride with Jessie &c on her epic journey from Newton Abbot to Glasgow for COP26. Hero!#Ride2COP26 pic.twitter.com/fUpF2ByuNA
— Sam Underwood (@misterunderwood) October 24, 2021
She hopes her ride can drive home the fact that riding is a good alternative to getting people off the roads. Although public transport is a more ecologically friendly choice, it simply is not as accessible to all people.
Stevens told the Guardian she believes it is important to “bring youth representation to a conversation often dominated by older voices.” She is set to arrive at the conference in the next few days.
