Antarctica, a continent that belongs to no country, has been protected from mining and other forms of exploitation since 1959. The year 2041 will mark the 50th anniversary of the critical Antarctic Treaty’s signing – and a few years later, the agreement will be up for review, when it can be modified or abandoned. With ice caps already melting faster than expected, open season on the Antarctic could have disastrous results for our already too warm world.
Enter Robert Swan, the first man ever to walk to the north and south poles unassisted. Swan, who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth in 1995 and received the 2015 Humanitarian Innovation Lifetime Achievement Award, has devoted most of his life to raising awareness about Antarctica, particularly among young people.
Here, the founder of the 2041 Foundation speaks with the Rainforest Alliance about being the first to discover – while almost dying in the process – the effects of climate change at the poles, and the surprising connection between rainforests and Antarctica.
How did your love of Antarctica start?
I was pulled out of bed at age 11 to see Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong walk on the moon, and I just thought: “Wow, imagine landing on a place like that.” Later I became interested in Antarctica; I was fascinated with the idea that there was a place on Earth owned by no one. Those two things are what inspired me, really. I wanted to be the first person in history – let’s be honest, the first person stupid enough – to walk to both poles. I had no reason to do it except to do it – and because it went down well with girls at parties.
Tell us about those first trips. You went to the south pole in 1986 and the north pole in 1989.
The walk to the south pole took 70 days. We had no radio, no GPS; there was no rescue possible. Our skin and eyes were blistering. My eyes changed color on that expedition – they got lighter. When we got home, NASA said: “Hey, guess what, guys? We just discovered a hole in the ozone layer above the south pole and you just walked under it.” That was a bit unexpected.
When we went to the north pole the ice was melting and crashing under our feet. It had never happened before [in recorded history]. I thought: “Are we going to die? This is survival.” We just had to keep going and try to keep everyone alive.
How did those trips change you from an adventurer to an activist for Antarctica?
When you’re standing on ice floes that are breaking and crashing beneath your feet, you see that the planet is more powerful than you. I don’t call myself an explorer, or even an environmentalist – I call myself a survivor. And I’m a damned good survivor. A survivor doesn’t see a perceived threat and walk away. You don’t look at it and do nothing. That’s what I learned from walking to both poles. Jacques Cousteau was my patron on the trip to the south pole. He was the one who told me [to] go support the preservation of Antarctica.
Tell us about your early efforts to do that.
The first thing we did was go down and clean up the rubbish the former Soviet Union had left there, at the Bellingshausen research station [that was founded in 1968]. When the former Soviet Union collapsed, there was no money to clean up, so we took 1,500 tons of twisted metal out of there and recycled it in Uruguay. It was a massive battle; it took almost eight years and millions of dollars. We cleared the rubbish; the penguins came back. I’m damned proud of what we did there.
Your current efforts are focused on inspiring young people. Why?
The only way to preserve Antarctica is to inspire as many young people as possible to protect it. I started education bases around the world, and I started taking people on expeditions in 1997. We’ve taken brilliant people from all over the world, more women than men. In fact, the first Saudi woman to ever go to Antarctica came with us. A lot of young people want to work in sustainability, and this is something they can put on their CVs. They want to be part of a solution, and they want to help themselves. Companies sponsor them [to go on these treks]; we help with that. When they get back, they’re inspired to go speak at schools and organizations about the expedition, about renewable energy. They really do stuff! “Liking” on Facebook is fine, but you have to act. These are passionate young people who get out and do things. Our next expedition is in March.
You’re also a huge champion of renewable energy. How does that tie in with your mission to preserve Antarctica?
Fossil fuels are the only reason to go exploit Antarctica. If we use more renewable energy and save energy, then maybe it won’t make financial sense to go to Antarctica. At the end of 2016, we’re taking a journey … to go from the south pole to the edge of Antarctica – all on renewable energy. It’s a huge technical challenge we’re taking on; we have to be able to heat food, to melt the ice to a temperature where you can have water to rehydrate food and drink. My 21-year-old son Barney’s volunteered to come because he believes … he can make [efforts to preserve Antarctica] relevant to his age group. I’m extremely grateful.
We know you’re a fan of the Rainforest Alliance. What is the connection between rainforests and Antarctica?
Antarctica has 90% of the world’s ice and 70% of the world’s freshwater. The surrounding oceans provide oxygen, as do the rainforests. We have to fight for them both, get passionate young people to act. The other link, of course, is climate change. People can look at [satellite] pictures and see how rainforests have disappeared, and NASA says that huge ice shelves are disintegrating into the ocean. We have to preserve both. We owe it to young people who aren’t born yet to make a robust effort now.
This content is paid for by AMResorts in association with the Rainforest Alliance
