CNN’s Robyn Curnow reports on Lewis Pugh’s drive to push through the normal limits of possibility. Examining the extraordinary athleticism of Usain Bolt, Lance Armstrong and Michael Phelps, this program focuses on Lewis’ ability to use his mind to overcome natural physical limitations to enable him to swim in freezing waters. Lewis describes how he uses visualisations of past experiences to raise his core body temperature before starting his swims and also why he chose to complete a 1km swim at the North Pole. See the program, Vital Signs.
Lewis speaks at the Business Innovation Factory of the motivation and vision which drove him to succeed in his 1km North Pole swim with the support of his world class team. He shares his dream to use this symbolic swim to shake the lapels of world leaders and to help stop climate change. With a strong belief that it is possible to leave a beautiful and safe world to our children, Lewis continues to campaign for the protection of the environment.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon spoke recently at Harvard, urging the U.S. to take the lead in reducing carbon emissions. He said the U.S. and other UN nations have the means, but not the political will, to significantly reduce energy consumption. I wholeheartedly agree. Our world leaders must put the needs of the environment before their careers.
This BBC story highlights the risk of international dispute over Arctic territory and resources. As sea ice recedes and Arctic waters become increasingly navigable the Arctic has the potential to become a new hotspot for international conflict.
I cannot agree more with the final paragraph of today¹s editorial in the New
York Times regarding the necessity of nations working together to protect
the Arctic. In my view the Arctic belongs to all of us. We will get
nowhere in our quest to preserve the Arctic unless we all work together.
CNN reported today that the separation of the Markham Ice Shelf (a 4,500-year-old shelf the size of Manhattan) from Ellesmere Island is more disturbing evidence of what is happening to the Arctic. These losses that have reduced Arctic Ocean ice cover to its second-biggest retreat since satellite measurements began 30 years ago.
Last July, after I swam at the North Pole, I predicted that within the next ten years the Arctic would be largely free of sea ice in the summer months. This prediction was considered too extreme by many as most models predicted the sea ice would not be lost until nearer to the end of the century. Earlier this year the Arctic sea ice broke two records – the sea ice has the largest proportion of thin ice on record and the sea ice is also the lowest in terms of volume on record. We will find out in the next two weeks whether or not the sea ice this summer will also recede so much as to cover the smallest surface area, or extent, on record.
While all eyes are on sea ice extent this summer, a further drama is unfolding in the Arctic. The sea ice is now younger and thinner than ever before. The map on the left shows the average ice age from 1985-2000. The right hand map shows the 2008 sea ice. The purple is the old, thick ice which lasts from year to year. The red ice is the young, thin ice, most of which melts in a summer.
All eyes are now on the Arctic, to see what happens over the coming weeks. We are here, in person, and will report back on what we see from within the ice pack itself.
Last week, former U.S. Vice President Al Gore challenged America to reset the way they make their energy choices. Gore’s challenge - to produce 100 percent of the U.S. electricity from renewable energy and truly clean carbon-free sources within 10 years. It was a powerful and inspiring speech for everyone!
Last week Lewis spoke with ABC Canberra’s Breakfast Show about his paddle, the devastating effects of climate change at the Arctic and what he hopes to accomplish on his expedition.
