Keeping your eye on the Prize

The next few years will see the 100th anniversaries of many of the original journeys of polar exploration that we modern ‘explorers’ often seek to emulate.

100 years ago today was one of the most momentous – the Norwegian Amundsen reaching the South Pole for the first time. It was an amazing journey and, regardless of what one thinks about his treatment of his dogs (which he butchered routinely for food in a premeditated fashion), was a truly incredible achievement. The man he beat to the prize, Scott, was of course not so fortunate.

Roald Engelbregt Gravning Amundsen

Both men were true explorers. They aimed high and planned accordingly, with the planning process being there only to serve the achievement of their goal, rather than being a goal in its own right. This outcome-focused approach is one I have tried to apply to my expeditions and environmental work over the past 15 years but one that is sadly lacking in the international dialogue around climate change.

Specifically I’m referring to the Conferences of the Parties (COP) negotiations to determine what our international response to climate change should be. Unfortunately COP seems to be all about process and scant on outcomes. The latest iteration, COP17 in Durban (we started with COP 1 in 1995), has been hailed as a great breakthrough with the international community finally committing to develop a legally binding climate agreement by 2020. What this really amounts to, however, is a commitment to more process-based dialogue whilst valuable time slips by.

2020 will mark 25 years of COP negotiations and that is one anniversary certainly not to be celebrated.