Anuna de Wever, Adelaide Charlier and Josefien Hoeree, the Belgian leaders of the "Youth for Climate Belgium" movement, will continue their journey crossing the Atlantic crossing by sailboat.
Initiated early October to reach COP25 in Chile. Their aim to reach the country still remains the same, despite the COP25 cancellation.
"The COP was not the sole purpose" of this trip, a spokesperson from the Youth for Climate Belgium stated, while also expressing support to Chilean protesters.
Chile will not host the UN climate conference in December because of the social crisis sparked since two weeks.
The price raise of the subway ticket in the capital ignited unprecedented social unrest in this otherwise stable country of 18 million people.
Despite the suspension of the measure, the movement has grown, fueled by resentment on social inequalities.
"We first want to express our full support to the population and to Chilean protesters in their fight for their rights and social justice. As we have said previously, there cannot be any ecological transition without social transition," added the spokesperson.
Adding however the urgency of concrete climate actions, "the Paris conference set deadlines in 2030 and we're already in 2020. It is therefore urgent to make decisions, especially in terms of financing."
Even though Chile and COP25 was the destination for the three Belgian flag bearers, they had also planned to stop in Recife, Brazil, where they will arrive on 7 November.
At the invitation of Indian leaders, including Chief Raoni, they will visit the Amazon region to "raise awareness of the Amazon forest's importance is for the survival of humanity."
The trio left Amsterdam on 2 October aboard the Regina Maris sailboat, stopping in Tenerife and Cape Verde before beginning the Atlantic crossing.
The Brussels Times
