T
HREE DECADES AGO , polar explorer Robert Swan became the first person to walk to both the North and South Poles . Since his epic trek , he has dedicated himself to protecting those regions by bringing others along . He has personally led 35 expeditions to Antarctica as the founder of
2041 Foundation , a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving Antarctica for science and research . The world ’ s moratorium on mining there ends in 19 years , and Swan ’ s mission is to ensure those treaties are renewed and Antarctica is protected forever .
His latest trip , in March 2022 , with adventure travel operator
The Explorer ’ s Passage saw a global group of 170 people aboard Albatros Expeditions ’
Ocean Victory , an environmentally friendly , low-energy vessel . The ship wasn ’ t packed with wealthy tourists , but rather a mix of voyagers from the public , private , and civil sectors — including marginalized and historically excluded individuals . Among the group were business leaders like
Mark Jones of renewable energy company Ventient Energy ; artists like
Danii Kehler A Kids Book about Climate Change . Many of the young people were awarded scholarships to join the expedition .
Michele Malejki , HP ’ s Global Head of Social Impact , joined the voyage as part of a leadership team that gave presentations on topics such as environmental justice and girls ’ education as a mitigant to climate change . Here , she asks Swan about his drive to preserve this pristine landscape and what gives him hope for the future .
Michele Malejki : Why did you create the 2041 Foundation and what are its goals ? Robert Swan : Thirty-one years ago , after I managed to walk to the South Pole and the North Pole , Jacques Cousteau personally gave me a mission to make sure that Antarctica remains a natural reserve , a place only for science and peace , belonging to no country . We have one chance left to show future generations that we ’ re capable of leaving one place on the planet alone . Until recently I was just focused on the preservation of the Antarctic continent , but gradually I realized that people need saving , too . Antarctica has 90 % of the world ’ s ice and 70 % of the world ’ s fresh water . If the ice melts , the sea level around the world will rise an estimated 300 feet , which will be catastrophic .