13 Indians take the harshest route in the world to save Antarctica (original) (raw)

NEW DELHI: Even as you read this a group of 13 Indian students are on their way to world's pristine but now waning continent, Antarctica. With winter winds climbing regularly at over 100 mph and a temperature which is forever freezing, it's no mean feat for this motley group.

"We worry about our ice cream melting, and not Antarctica," said Vivek Vasisth, an educator, who is part of this unique trip to Antarctica with 2041.

2041 was founded by polar explorer, environmental leader and public speaker Robert Swan, who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1995. He is also the only reliable hand on this trip, being the first person in history to walk both the North and South Poles, unaided.

The expedition, which started on March 16, will see the group travel from Drake Passage near Cape Horn, the southern-most point to America. It will continue till March 25. The team comprises 70 young world leaders from different fields and professions. Depending on ice and weather conditions, the team will explore the western coast of the Antarctic Peninsula.

Swan with this expedition aims to raise awareness about the Antarctic Treaty of 1991, which is to be revisited in 2041. The Antarctic Treaty and related agreements, collectively known as the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS), regulate international relations with respect to Antarctica, Earth's only continent without a native human population.

It lists 14 articles that define various purposes for which the continent can be used. It states that the "area is to be used for peaceful purposes only. Military activity, such as weapons testing, is prohibited but military personnel and equipment may be used for scientific research or any other peaceful purpose/" The treaty was the first arms control agreement established during the Cold War. The Antarctic Treaty Secretariat headquarters are located in Buenos Aires, Argentina, since September 2004.

2041 plans to raise awareness about the impending treaty amendment by informing, engaging and inspiring the next generation of leaders to take responsibility, be sustainable, and know that now is the time for action in policy development, sustainable business generation and future technologies.

"The treaty is to be reviewed in 2041 and there is a high possibility that it will be nullified. The ice continent of Antarctic has a huge potential of fossil fuels, which lay trapped beneath layers of ice,” Vasisth told economictimes.com.

Vasisth quotes a report from the US Geological Survey report of July 24, 2008, which says that “the area north of the Arctic Circle has an estimated 90 billion barrels of undiscovered, technically recoverable oil, 1,670 trillion cubic feet of technically recoverable natural gas, and 44 billion barrels of technically recoverable natural gas liquids in 25 geologically defined areas, thought to have potential for petroleum".

These resources, the report says, account for about 22 per cent of the undiscovered, technically recoverable resources in the world.

During the course of the expedition, these explorers will visit the Cuverville Island, one of the largest gatherings of gentoo rookeries penguin in Antarctica. The team then moves to Neko Harbour and then the Paradise Harbour, which explorers say is the best place to encounter a few humpbacks or minke whales from up close. The next stop is The Lemaire Channel, which is often blocked by ice, that will give them a taste of the regions harsh conditions .

The team also plans to camp in the Antarctic with Swan and explore the area at night. From there, they move on to the largest island, the South Shetland, located at the 2041 E-Base. The E-base is the first education station built in Antarctica for sustainable products and runs on renewable energy.