Swan set for Pole trek at 60

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At 57, he is as lively and dramatic as he was three decades back. His optimism in working towards creating a sustainable planet is inspiring. Robert Swan was the first person to walk to both South and North Pole.

And since then he has been leading young enthusiasts to polar explorations, educating them towards environmental causes and making the planet a better place to live in.
In the city for a special programme, “LeadearthShip” by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) to encourage young leaders who promote sustainable development, Swan said, “We all rant about the future of our planet, global warming and the harmful effects on humans. Of course, this is happening. But what is the point cribbing? Negativity has never inspired any good work. So just brace yourself and make your own contribution towards sustainability.”
He has been to the capital on and off over the last three years to create awareness. He adds, “Youngsters in India are intelligent and are quite aware about their environment and potential hazards.”
Talking about his experience at the poles, Swan recollects, “At the age of 33, I had walked both the poles. The experience was thrilling and miraculous. But I also had a first-hand experience of the impact of global warming. In Antarctica, my eyes forever changed colour after prolonged exposure under the hole in the ozone layer. In the Arctic, my team faced near-death encounters in a melting ocean, prematurely caused by global warming.”
From there on, Swan dedicated his life toward preservation of Antarctica. He motivates youngsters across globe to join him in his quest.
In 2015, Swan plans to take his last trip to South Pole along with his 19-year-old son, Barney. “I will be undertaking that trip at the age of 60 and it is important for me to culminate what I began thirty years ago. It will be 1,600 km from South Pole to Arctic and we’ll survive on renewable energy completely. In the interim, I would try and create maximum awareness on solar, wind and hydro energy,” concludes Swan.