Bertrand Piccard spoke with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon directly from the cockpit of Solar Impulse 2 while flying over the Pacific Ocean during a video conference on Friday April 22 from the United Nations in New York where 175 nations had just signed the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
“You know, Mr Secretary-General, what you are doing today in New York by signing the Paris Agreement is more than protecting the environment – it is the launch of the clean revolution,” said Piccard from the solar airplane that is currently flying over the Pacific Ocean without using a single drop of fuel. He urged Ban Ki-moon and the delegates to keep working hard to overcome resistance to fighting climate change. “If an airplane like Solar Impulse 2 can fly day and night without fuel, the world can be much cleaner.”
“I am inspired by your pioneering spirit,” the Secretary-General said after telling Piccard he looked like an astronaut flying to the moon. “While you are making history flying around the world, we also are making history today. More than 175 countries signed the Climate Change Agreement. Thank you for your leadership and inspiration. We wish you a smooth flight. You are leading us into a new era. Bon voyage!”
