 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
“The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it” ~ Robert Swan OBE.
Robert has earned his place in history alongside the great explorers and adventurers who have tested their physical and mental strength to the limit in the planet's most hostile environments. In 1989 Robert became the first person in history to reach both the South and North Pole on foot.
In 1986, along with companions Roger Mear and Gareth Wood, Robert Swan arrived at the South Pole after travelling 883 miles without radios or assistance of any kind. In 1988 he was awarded the Polar Medal by the Queen for completing the longest unassisted march in history.
"Icewalk-The International North Pole Expedition" was ostensibly designed to draw attention to the environmental crisis confronting both the polar and world ecologies. This ambitious project, costing over US$4 million, was a two-pronged endeavour consisting of an eight-man assault on the Pole and the world's first international student expedition to venture into the Arctic wilderness.
This is where the story really begins, as Robert returns from these trips a changed man. Shocked by his first-hand experiences of the environmental damage taking place on earth (being the first to walk under the ozone whole in the Antarctic and experiencing severe difficulties on reaching his destination on the North Pole journey due to early ice-meltdown), Robert’s life goal is now to draw attention to the environmental damage we are inflicting on ourselves, and to preserve the last wilderness on our earth, the Antarctic. He recognizes the importance of working with businesses and industry in the attempt to achieve this.
The unique insights and lessons learned enable Robert to educate and stimulate corporate audiences. The topics he covers include: motivation - individuals have the power to overcome obstacles and achieve their goals; communication - in a hostile environment such as the Arctic, you must express your thoughts, simply to survive; teamwork - great feats are rarely achieved by individuals. The team which understands its strengths and weaknesses and pulls together will achieve the seemingly impossible. Robert compares his icy experiences to boardroom manoeuvres and his inspirational addresses have received the acclaim of discerning audiences worldwide.
On both expeditions, he experienced firsthand the effects of environmental damage on the polar ice caps. In Antarctica, his eyes were affected and the skin peeled off his face after walking for weeks under the hole in the ozone layer. In the Arctic, the team almost drowned due to melting ice, caused by global warming.
Take a look at a recent video interview with Rob on board 2041 - The Voyage for Cleaner Energy.
In Memory of Past Allies:
 |
 |
 |
 |
Navigate your way to Waterworth Expedition sites on Google Earth.
