Arnold Schwarzenegger has long been a champion of cycling.
The Austrian-born actor has been regularly pictured cruising around cities all over the globe, as he uses the bike to stay in shape in his later years.
But Schwarzenegger’s most recent ride stands apart from the rest, as he was joined by teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg.
Thunberg, 16, has made a huge impact after she kick-started a movement of school strikes worldwide and called on governments to do more to protect the environment.
On Monday (November 4) Schwarzenegger, a former body-builder turned actor and later a Republican Party politician, shared pictures of him cycling with Thunberg, calling her his “friend and hero.”
The 72-year-old said: “It was fantastic to see my friend and one of my heroes Greta Thunberg last week and go on a bike ride around Santa Monica together and I was so pumped to introduce her to my daughter Christina.
“Keep inspiring, Greta!”
Thunberg rose to prominence in summer 2018 when she began protesting outside of Swedish parliament on school days to call for stronger action on climate change, wielding a sign which said “school strike for the climate.”
Thunberg addressed the United Nations Climate Change Conference that year, resulting in school strikes around the world.
She has been featured on the cover of Time magazine, has published a book and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019.
In her unforgettable speech at the UN in September, Thunberg told world leaders: “You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words.
“The eyes of all future generations are upon you. And if you choose to fail us, I say we will never forgive you. We will not let you get away with this. Right here, right now is where we draw the line.”
Thunberg also recently met Oscar-winning actor and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio, who called the young activist “a leader of our time.”
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DiCaprio said: “There are few times in human history where voices are amplified at such pivotal moments and in such transformational ways – but Greta Thunberg has become a leader of our time.
“History will judge us for what we do today to help guarantee that future generations can enjoy the same liveable planet that we have so clearly taken for granted.”
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