It’s early morning in September, the morning light hangs on by a thread as the autumn breeze comes in and takes over from the beautiful Swedish summer. In one of the most northern countries the year is captured throughout the different seasons and their characteristics. Together with my family I am standing on the train platform of Kalmar C. I enter the train carriage with my luggage and wave goodbye to my family on the platform, as I have done so many times before. This time a new trip begins and the end destination is the exciting city; London in the United Kingdom. The journey includes a couple of train changes, borders will be crossed and new places explored.
In the Baltic-sea just off the coast of southeast Sweden there’s an island called Öland and that’s what I call home. Öland is known for its special and beautiful nature, in the year 2000 the island’s southern agricultural landscape became part of UNESCO’s world heritage list (https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/968/). Growing up close with nature has taught me how precious our planet and its special nature really is, I’ve also learned how much we need to care for it. I’ve now left my island for the big city. The first train of the journey will take me to Copenhagen, and to get there I cross not only one but two bridges and one border. We stop by the international airport of Copenhagen, however, this time I am not stepping out of the train carriage. I choose to stay on the train and travel through Europe for a sustainable way of travelling.
In 2015 all member states of the United Nations adopted the 2030 agenda for sustainable development, at its core includes the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs). Together in global partnership all member states acknowledge the urgent crisis to tackle the world’s biggest challenges; poverty, hunger, equality and climate change. After decades of work by the UN and world leaders the 17 SDGs were put together (https://sdgs.un.org/goals). For a greener and better world everyone plays a part, number 13 of the 17 SDGs is specifically targeted for Climate Action. To combat climate change we need to act now, it’s urgent due to the effects already being visible (https://globalgoals.org/goals/13-climate-action/).
I rest my head on the window and look out, the English countryside is passing by and by every three and green field I pass my end destination feels like it’s in reach. The journey has been long and full of new encounters. Every person I’ve met has told me a story about their own knowledge of traveling by train across borders. I hear the call for London Kings cross station and get up from my seat to collect my belongings. I feel a bit nostalgic as my long journey has come to an end, the train halts to a stop and it’s time to get off to greet my new home.
