Greta Thunberg will visit the UK next week to take part in a youth protest in Bristol.

The 17-year-old climate activist, who launched a global youth-based movement when she began a “climate strike” outside Sweden’s parliament in 2018, plans to join protesters on College Green on Friday.

It will be second time Thunberg has joined protesters in the UK in the past year. Last April, she addressed Extinction Rebellion activists in central London. She also made a speech in parliament, telling MPs the UK’s support for fossil fuels and airport expansion was “beyond absurd”.

One of the organisers of the Bristol Youth Strike 4 Climate, seventeen-year-old Milly Sibson, told PA Media: “We are all just so excited – everyone is so excited about the thought of hearing her talk.

“I would love the chance to meet her because she is the founder of this movement and she is so important to it – she is an idol even though she is younger than me. We really hope loads of people join us to welcome her to Bristol.”

Milly said Greta had originally planned to visit London, but as the area planned for the protest in the capital was too small the organisers had recommended Bristol instead.

Heading for the UK! This Friday, the 28th, I’m looking forward to joining the school strike in Bristol! We meet up at College Green 11am! See you there! @bristolYS4C pic.twitter.com/n1GOJqMUVQ — Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) February 22, 2020

Bristol was awarded the title of European Green Capital in 2015. In 2018, the city became the first UK authority to declare a “climate emergency”, with the council unanimously backing a commitment to be carbon neutral by 2030. By contrast, the government has committed to net zero carbon emissions in the UK by 2050. Last month, Bristol declared an ecological emergency because of the local decline of many birds, insects and some mammals.