Is Greta Thunberg Going to Davos? What We Know

Climate activist Greta Thunberg was planning to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, this week to protest climate change policies, accompanied by a trio of other activists, but an interaction with German police might have interrupted her plans.

The Swedish environmental activist, who recently turned 20 years old, has been active this month in protesting the expansion of a coal mine in western Germany. The protest has drawn a response from law enforcement, resulting in some of the participants being detained, including Thunberg.

She was expected to appear at the WEF after issuing a cease-and-desist letter to fossil fuel CEOs published by Avaaz, a nonprofit promoting global activism.

EuroNews reported that Thunberg was expected to attend the forum accompanied by fellow climate activists Vanessa Nakate from Uganda, Helena Gualinga from Ecuador and Luisa Neubauer from Germany. In their cease-and-desist letter, the women demanded that any new oil, gas and coal extraction sites be halted.

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg joins environmentalists gathering in Keyenberg, western Germany, as demonstrations continue against a coal mine expansion in the nearby village of Luetzerath. Thunberg was detained by police in Germany in advance of her plans to be at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, this week. GETTY

“You must end these activities as they are in direct violation of our human right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, your duties of care, as well as the rights of Indigenous people,” said the cease-and-desist letter, which was signed by all four climate activists.

“If you fail to act immediately, be advised that citizens around the world will consider taking any and all legal action to hold you accountable. And we will keep protesting in the streets in huge numbers,” the letter added.

What Is the World Economic Forum?

Davos will host more than 50 heads of state and government and hundreds of CEOs, according to Reuters, making the event a prime place for climate activists to target leaders in the gas, oil and coal industries. The forum, which began Monday, is expected to continue through Friday.

The WEF website describes the forum as an event that “engages the foremost political, business, cultural and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas.”

Will Thunberg Attend?

Thunberg is no novice to protesting. She has spent the last several days near Lutzerath, Germany, protesting the coal mine expansion.

Many activists have been protesting the expansion, and since last week, police have donned riot gear and removed hundreds of protesters from the area, according to a report from CNN. Thunberg retweeted videos of police swarming the protests and detaining activists.

On Tuesday, CNN reported that Thunberg was one of the activists who was detained. A picture shows a police officer in riot gear gripping her arm. She is surrounded by several other officers.

The Guardian reported that Thunberg was among a group of protesters who rushed toward the ledge of the mine. One protester reportedly leapt into the mine.

“Greta Thunberg was part of a group of activists who rushed towards the ledge. However, she was then stopped and carried by us with this group out of the immediate danger area to establish their identity,” a statement from police said in the Guardian article.

It is unclear how long Thunberg will be in police custody, but the detention could interfere with her plans to visit the WEF to protest policies related to climate change.

Newsweek reached out to the Aachen, Germany, police as well as to the WEF for comment.