Man plans kayak trip to Arctic
2008-07-15 15:32
London - British environmentalist and explorer, Lewis Gordon Pugh, on Tuesday announced his return to the Arctic this summer for another pioneering expedition.
Pugh will attempt to become the first person to kayak to the North Pole to show the drastic loss of sea ice.
Pugh also announced his new Polar Defense Project, which he has founded to raise awareness for greater protection of the Arctic and an end to climate change, and which receives support from the Investec banking group in South Africa.
Having completed the record-breaking 1km swim at the North Pole one year ago on Tuesday, Pugh said of his forthcoming expedition, "This is without doubt the hardest expedition I have ever undertaken. The Arctic Ocean can be unforgiving, especially if you are in a single kayak!"
The 1 200km journey, across some of the most dangerous seas in the world, is scheduled to depart from the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen on 29 August.
Daily blog
A support team will follow Pugh, providing a daily blog on the sea ice conditions.
Pugh said, "Over recent decades, we have lost more than half the Arctic summer sea ice cover; decades ahead of predictions, showing climate change has been hugely underestimated.
"We must insist that our leaders take urgent action to halt climate change."
Pugh added, "It would not have been possible to kayak to the North Pole, even last year. Although sea ice is melting fast, I sincerely hope that there is more sea ice than predicted this summer and that it is impossible for me to kayak all the way."
Loss of sea ice has also increased interest in exploiting Arctic resources and has lead to a major escalation of tension in the area.
'It belongs to us all'
Pugh said, "The North Pole belongs to us all, all 6.6 billion, not just the adjacent countries and companies who seem determined to exploit this fragile wilderness."
Accordingly, when Pugh gets to the North Pole, he plans to symbolically raise 192 national flags and call for Arctic peace to be preserved, including the South African flag.
Earlier this year Pugh, a maritime lawyer, began plans for the Polar Defense Project to campaign for greater legal protection for the Arctic and an end to climate change.
The campaign was officially launched on Tuesday with this inaugural expedition.
Says Hendrik Du Toit, Investec Asset Management CEO: "Our philosophy as a business has always been that 'ordinary won't change the world'.
"Lewis Gordon Pugh personifies this attribute, and it is an honour to support him in both his physical expeditions and his quest to raise awareness of the way climate change is affecting our world.
"Investec Asset Management is proud of our long association with Lewis, having sponsored him in several of his efforts to raise awareness of global warming."
For more information about the Polar Defense Project and Lewis Gordon Pugh click here.