THE JOURNEY SO FAR

ROBERT SWANO F F I C E R O F T H E B R I T I S H E M P I R E

Robert SwanOBE

1979 BA Hons Ancient History, Durham University UK

1980 - 81 British Antarctic Survey, field guide

1984 - 87 ‘In the Footsteps of Scott’, South Pole Expedition; South Pole reached, 11 January 1986

1987 - 89 ‘Icewalk’, North Pole Expedition, North Pole reached, 14 May 1989 Became the first person in history to walk to both Poles

1992 Invited by the United Nations as keynote speaker at the first Earth Summit, held in Rio de Janeiro

1992 - 2002 The world leaders’ challenge: ‘Think Global, Act Local’ The ‘Global Mission’ : Initiated the removal of 1,500 tons of waste from Antarctica The ‘Local Mission’ : Partnered with African organization ‘loveLife’ and reached 150,000 young people on the issue of AIDS

2002 Presented the successful Global and Local Missions to world leaders at the Johannesburg World Summit for Sustainable Development

2003 Cape to Rio Yacht Race with sailboat ‘2041’

2003 - 04 Circumnavigation of Africa with sailboat ‘2041’

2004 - 05 Sailboat ‘2041’ entered the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race with sails made from recycled plastic bottles

2003 - present Inspire Antarctic Expeditions: Involving industry & young people on the preservation of Antarctica and the need for renewable energy

2008 ‘The E-Base Goes Live’ : Pioneered the world’s first education base in Antarctica which ran solely off renewable energy 2008 The Voyage for Cleaner Energy Phase I: Lectured at 26 prominent universities along the West coast of the U.S. to highlight the convenient ways that individuals can implement sustainable practices in their lives

2008 The Voyage for Cleaner Energy Phase II: Sailboat ‘2041’ continued on the East coast of the U.S.

2012 The third World Summit for Sustainable Development

2041 - 48 The ‘Madrid Protocol’ and moratorium on mining and drilling in Antarctica will be reviewed

A Lifetime of Achievement

Expeditions

The DreamRobert Charles Swan was born on 28 July 1956. His interest in polar exploration began at school in England. At the age of eleven, he became inspired by the ‘Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration’ (1895 - 1917) and the race to the South Pole between Robert Falcon Scott, Ernest Shackleton and Roald Amundsen.

ItwasScott’stragicfinaljourneytotheSouthPole that inspired Robert’s commitment to follow ‘In the Footsteps of Scott’ to the South Pole.

1967

Sir Ernest Shackleton Roald AmundsenRobert Charles Swan, Age 11

Captain Robert Falcon Scott & Team, South Pole, 17 January 1912

In 1979 Robert decided to raise the necessary funds to reach the Pole.Ittookhimfiveyearsofplanningandover1,000sponsorstoreach the $5 million required for the expedition. With these funds he purchased a ship, ‘Southern Quest’, and convinced 25 volunteers to give up three years of their lives for the expedition.

‘Southern Quest’ set sail for Antarctica in mid January 1984 to travel the 15,000miles toAntarctica. The only stop on the journeywasLyttleton, New Zealand to meet Bill Burton, who at 96 was the last surviving member of Scott’s expedition of 1912. Robert’s dream was becoming a reality.

1979 to 1984The Vision

Roger Mear, Bill Burton & Robert Swan

The South PoleIn the Footsteps of ScottAfter sailing three months, the team arrived in February 1985 during the Antarctic winter, and stayed until November in the ‘Jack Hayward’ base (so named to honor a generous donor), with the base camp team John Tolson and Dr. Michael Stroud. Once winter had passed, Robert Swan, Roger Mear, and Gareth Wood set out to ski the 900 miles to the Geographic South Pole, each hauling 350-pound sleds.

On 11 January 1986, after 70 days of travel and without the aid of any radio communications or emergency support, Robert’s team stood at the Geographic South Pole. They had completed the longest unsupported Antarctic expedition in history.

1984 to 1987

1987 to 1989IcewalkThree years after reaching the South Pole, Robert assembled a team of eight people from seven nations in an attempt to reach the Geographic North Pole. The team consisted of Dr. Misha Malakhov, Russia; Rupert Summerson, UK; Graeme Joy, Australia; Arved Fuchs, Germany; Hiroshi Onishi, Japan; Angus Cockney, Inuit; and Daryl E. Roberts, USA.

To engage and inspire the world’s youth, the expedition selected 22 young people from 15 countries and stationed them at the base camp in Eureka on Ellesmere Island in the High Arctic.Whilemonitoringtheexpeditionteam,theyproducedaseriesofeducationalfilmsandfacilitated the process of waste removal from the surrounding Arctic wilderness.

Robert and his team reached the Geographic North Pole on 14 May 1989. At the age of 33 RobertSwanhadbecome thefirstperson inhistory towalk toboth theNorthandSouthPoles.

The North Pole

The PromiseOn both polar expeditions, Robert experiencedfirsthandtheeffectsofclimatechange and ozone depletion. Prior to this, no significant research on the depletionof the ozone layer had been undertaken. Robert’s expeditions highlighted the reality of a global climate disturbance.

The historic journeys completed, two ofRobert’s patrons for his polar expedition, Jacques Cousteau and Sir Peter Scott (Founder of the World Wildlife Fund), asked Robert to use his story toward the preservation of the Antarctic.

Thus began Robert’s 50 year mission, to inspire the youth of our planet, in the hope that by 2041 we ensure their engagement on the protection of this last great wilderness on Earth, for generations to come.

1991 to 2041

‘We should have the wisdom to know when to

leave Antarctica alone’

Sir Peter Scott, 1988

Human activities in Antarctica are governed by an international agreement known as the Antarctic Treaty, established in 1961. This unique international agreement ensures that Antarctica is used for peaceful purposes only and that the environment is protected. To date, the Antarctic Treaty has been signed by 44 nations, representing two-thirds of the world’s population.

The Madrid Protocol provides additional pro-tection for the Antarctic Treaty and designates the continent as a ‘Natural Reserve Land for Science and Peace’. It also places a ban on mining and mineral exploration for 50 years. This moratorium expires in 2041.

As the year 2041 quickly approaches, Robert’s goal is to ensure that the young people of today make informed and sustainable decisions for tomorrow. In our own backyards we can take small achievable steps to protect and preserve the beauty and integrity of our environment and our planet for future generations.

The 50 Year Mission

From Earth Summit to World SummitEarth Summit Rio de Janeiro, 1992RobertwasinvitedbytheUnitedNationsasakeynotespeakertothefirstEarthSummitforSustainable Development, held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. During the conference he was challenged to “Think Global, Act Local”. Robert made a commitment to deliver a global and local environmental mission, carried out by young people from around the world, to the next World Summit, in 2002. Both missions were to involve leaders in industry and business, and engage youth in the process.

The Global MissionIn 1993, in support of the Global Mission, Robert took 35 young people from 25 nations to Antarctica. With the cooperation of the Russian Government, the team would endeavor to remove and recycle 1,500 tons of waste from Antarctica.

Seven years later, through the team’s enormous effort of fundraising, planning and executing the mission, the waste at the Russian base of Bellingshausen, King George Island, was finallycleared.ThewildernessareathathadbeenuninhabitableforAntarcticwildlifewasrestored.

1992 to 2002World Summit for Sustainable DevelopmentJohannesburg, 2002The Local MissionIn an effort to support a relevant local mission, Robert partnered with ‘loveLife’, an organization battling AIDS in South Africa, the location of the next World Summit for Sustainable Development. In order to reach the greatest number of young people, Robert and the ‘2041’ sailboat embarked on an overland voyage through the heart of South Africa.

The voyage reached out to over 150,000 young people across South Africa. During the World Summit the ‘Ice Station’ exhibit was visited by 128 world leaders and 35,000 visitors, including 12,000 young people.ItwasawardedfirstprizeforoutstandingcontributiontotheWorld Summit.

Robert was once again charged by world leaders to continue his mission and report back ten years later at the next World Summit for Sustainable Development in 2012.

A Call to ActionThe Cape to Rio Yacht Race January - April 2003Asthefirststeptothe2012WorldSummit,Swan led a team of young African leaders on sailboat ‘2041’ on the ‘Cape to Rio Yacht Race’. The Circumnavigation of AfricaMay 2003 - May 2004Returning from Rio the yacht embarked on ‘The Circumnavigation of Africa’. The voyage promoted AIDS awareness, water conservation and recycling while visiting over 30 ports.

Along the route communities participated in clean-upprojectswiththeaimofimprovingtheir local environment.

In his continued efforts to create young leaders, Robert selected three young men from ‘loveLife’ to become the firstAfricancrew in history to circumnavigate their own continent. They now use that story to engage and inspire young people throughout South Africa on AIDS awareness.

2003 to 2005The Sydney Hobart Yacht Race December 2004 - January 2005Continuingonthejourneytowardthe2012WorldSummit,sailboat‘2041’enteredtheSydneyHobart Yacht Race with revolutionary sails made from recycled plastic bottles.

‘2041’ was crewed by industry leaders and teachers selected for their outstanding inspiration to young people. Throughaterrificstormthesailboatfinished24th...

...and the sails survived!

Inspire Antarctic ExpeditionsLeadership on the Edge 2003 - 2009 After 23 years of sustainable leadership and teamwork experience, Robert Swan led the firstcorporateexpeditiontoAntarcticain2003.Sincethen,theannualexpeditionconsistsof up to 70 members, men and women from international industry and business, along with teachers and young people. Team members are inspired to create extraordinary results through leadership, teamwork and personal development.

Expeditionmembersgainfirsthandknowledgeofthecontinent’sfragileecosystemandtheeffects of climate change in Antarctica. They have the opportunity to share knowledge across cultural boundaries, and to create essential partnerships that will drive their leadership on strategic climate solutions upon their return.

2003 to 2008

The E-BaseInspire Antarctica Expeditions - The E-Base 2003 - 2008 Robert envisioned an education base in Antarctica, a place from which the world would be able to experience the beauty of this incredible continent electronically.

With the foresight and support of the Russian Antarctic Division, Robert’s international team succeeded in removing 1,500 tons of waste from Antarctica. Inspired by the work of thiscommittedgroupofyoungpeople,Robert’snextprojectcameintheformofasmall,abandonedscientists’station,whichwastobecomethe‘E-Base’-theworld’sfirsteducationbase in Antarctica.

2003 to 2012The dream of building the world’s firsteducation station in Antarctica (E-Base) became a reality during the IAE 2002 - 2007 expeditions. Each year the IAE participants worked to plan, build, and promote the E-Base as a resource for teachers and a source of inspiration to students around the world.

These efforts culminated in the 2008 ‘E-Base Goes Live’ expedition, where Robert and a small team lived at the E-Base for two weeks poweredbyrenewableenergy.Theprojectproduced educational dispatches from the fieldthatdemonstratedusesofrenewableenergy and sustainable living in one of the harshest environments on Earth.

The Voyage For Cleaner EnergyThe Voyage for Cleaner Energy is a world-wide lecture series and sailing expedition by Robert Swan and his team at 2041. The purpose of the Voyage is to increase aware-ness about environmental issues related to climate change and inspire young people to lead the way in implementing practical, viable solutions.

OverfiveyearsRobert journeyswith sail-boat ‘2041’ from the U.S. to Europe, Rus-sia, India and China, talking with university students, corporate executives, and gov-ernmentofficialsabouttheirrolesaslead-ers in tackling climate change and accom-plishing sustainability.

Robert wants to spread the message that “the time to act is now”, and he and his team at 2041 are hoping their message will inspire others into action on sustainable liv-ing practices.

Sailboat ‘2041’ has revolutionary sails made from recycled plastic bottles, innova-tive solar panel sails, wind turbines, and an enginethatrunsonbio-fuels.Itisoutfittedwith eco-friendly features and carries green products and technology on board.

2008 to 2012Phase I of the Voyage began on the West coast of the U.S. in April 2008 in San Francisco, California. The sailboat proceeded north to Seattle then sailed south to Portland, Santa Cruz, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles and San Diego. Robert lectured at 26 universities, reaching over 30,000 students with the 2041 mission.

Continuingthroughallphasesofthejourney,Robertengagesandinspires young future leaders, addressing the key issues of climate change and renewable energy sources that affect us all.

The Voyage For Cleaner Energy

2008 to 2012

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www.2041.com

ROBERT SWANO F F I C E R O F T H E B R I T I S H E M P I R E