JOIN AN EXPEDITION TO THE ARCTIC FOR CLIMATE CHANGE

    About the campaign

I have been selected as the only Indian participant from the state of Odisha this year for a unique experience, the 'Leadership on the Edge Program' which is a part of the Climate Force Arctic Expedition from June 15 -June 26,2019. This campaign is my attempt to raise funds to join the expedition to the Arctic to understand the effects of climate change first hand.  By witnessing the pristine wilderness on Earth, I will be trained in sustainable ways of living and interacting with the ecosystem by the experts, thus helping me on my climate leadership journey.

Why fund me?

Climate Change has a special relevance for our state of Odisha because of its location and geophysical conditions. Apart from the devastating super cyclone in 1999,  repeatedly, our State has been facing intense tropical cyclones — the most recent being Daye  and Titli. Not to forget the intense and unprecedented heat waves that claim many casualties. Having experienced the wrath first hand, I understand that climate change has the potential to derail growth strategies and deepen poverty apart from loss of life, livelihood, assets and infrastructure.

With a Post Graduation in Forest Management from the prestigious Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal, I have the requisite skillsets in the realm of environmental and ecological sustainability.  My internship experience with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) at a difficult terrain like Arunachal Pradesh also gave me the impetus to work towards nature conservation and sustainability. 

This year, on a personal level, I raised awareness about single-use plastic free living by observing a Plastic Free July, addressing various corporate organizations through sensitization sessions and individuals via social media thus influencing many to go by this earth friendly way of living.

My personal interests also includes composting and I have been involved in waste management awareness with many households and individuals too. 

So by supporting me , you will get your money's worth, as I will join a  diverse group  consisting  of  sustainability  experts, entrepreneurs,  and  changemakers, which will empower me  to    work  towards  a  better  future  for  Odisha and our country too. 

 As Sir Robert Swan puts it, “The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.’’

Climate change is affecting all of us and will affect our future generations whether we admit it or not.  I want to take up the role of spreading awareness and do what we can collectively to combat climate change. I want you to help me on this journey which will eventually help you as well as all of us.

If I am successful in raising funds, I will join  a team on  this   voyage  that  equips  leaders  with  resources  and actionable  solutions  to  become  a  part  of  a  global  force  of change.

Who is Sir Robert Swan? 

Sir Robert Swan, O.B.E, is the first person to walk to both the South and North Poles. His experiences at the Poles allowed Swan to witness the effects of climate change firsthand, and shifted his life’s purpose to working toward solutions to mitigate the greatest threat that our planet faces. Through his organization ‘2041’, Robert Swan has traveled to all corners of the globe to inspire and build leaders to create a more sustainable world.  

In November 2017, Robert Swan made one last expedition to the South Pole with his son Barney Swan, on a mission known as the South Pole Energy Challenge (SPEC). The team became the first people in history to attempt this feat by surviving entirely on renewable energy. Over the course of the 60-day expedition they encountered an Antarctica that was melting beneath their feet. It was here that they knew that they needed to expand the mission of 2041 to those areas around the globe that climate change is having the most effect on , including the Arctic -  a strategic hotspot of climate change .

About the Arctic and more about the expedition?

The Arctic  is one  of  the  most  beautiful,  untouched,  and  pristine  locations  on  the  planet,  which  is  exactly  why  we  must  do  everything  we  can  to  preserve  it.  It represents  our  past  but  epitomizes  our  future.  It’s massive ice sheets are home to polar bears, Svalbard reindeer, and puffins. If  the  glaciers  continue  melting  at  their  current  rate  of  deterioration,  sea  levels  will  rise,  and  the  disastrous  effects  will  be  felt  on  a  multi-national  scale. This is the reality  of  climate  change  which has  the  power  to  radically  reshape  our  future.

Using the expedition as a platform for engagement, the mission is to empower and inspire people to make sustainable measurable changes in  businesses, communities, and lifestyles.

: As mentioned above, I am passionate about this cause and seek to create awareness about Climate change in my state.

: With a background in Forest Management and an internship experience with WWF, a promoter of single-use Plastic Free lifestyl