It is the second year in a row that Dorothee Hildebrandt has cycled to one of the UN climate meetings, last year she cycled to COP26 in Glasgow. The purpose of her cycling trips is to influence climate policy and she wants to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
And she has been noticed during her journey down to the meeting. Towards the end of the route, Egypt’s president, former army chief Abd al-Fattah al-Sisi, met her and rode with her for a short distance. At the meeting, she also met the Swedish climate and environment minister Romina Pourmokhtari (L).
She started her long journey on 1 July in Katrineholm and arrived in Sharm el-Sheikh on 5 November. But the adventure isn’t over yet – she has to cycle home too. When she is home again, she will have been gone for almost a year and cycled approximately 1640 miles.
During the 820 miles, she and the pink electric bicycle, which she named Miss Piggy, have cycled through several countries. Among others Germany, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Turkey, and Syria.
Age is no obstacle
The fact that Dorothee Hildebrandt is over 70 years old is nothing that prevents her from setting off alone on such a long and demanding journey. She explains that she has traveled by herself many times before and has lived in different countries and is therefore used to new environments.
She tells us that what has been a bit difficult, however, is some dirt roads and very steep slopes, which meant that she had to go up by car.
– In Turkey, I got a lift, she says.
In the clip: See pictures from Dorothee Hildebrandt’s cycling trip to Egypt and hear her talk about the problems she encountered.