A Fireside Talk with Ben Saunders and Robert Swan – Where Do We Go From Here: Can Exploration Help Us Tackle Climate Change?

“There is no more ice to walk on during the summertime and that’s quite something… we went to the South Pole in ’89, you [Ben Saunders] went in the early 2000s, and you can’t make that journey anymore. And I think that’s a very, very important lesson from these great ice caps at both Poles: that we need to listen to what they’re saying.”
Robert Swan during this Fireside Talk

Ben Saunders FBES FGRS and Robert Swan FRGS OBE are two record-breaking polar explorers who have seen first-hand the impact of climate change. 

In our most recent Fireside Talk, Robert and Ben shared with us how their challenging experiences have continued to shape their own lives, and how the courage, skills, resilience and determination that British Exploring Society continues to foster in young people could be essential to conserving the last great wilderness on earth – Antarctica.

Robert and Ben shared thought-provoking anecdotes and insight from their remarkable adventures in the poles. Holding onto our dreams, the transformative impact of exploration, and the parallels between the survival of Antarctica and wider space were just some of the themes covered in this fascinating conversation.

We learnt so much. And we were delighted by the thoughtful questions posed by some of our young explorers, who will be heading off on their own adventures this summer. Watch the recording below to listen to Ben and Robert discuss the place of 21st-century exploration in tackling the climate challenge and shaping the lives of future generations.