FALCON POWERS – In an indoor pool in Dubai, a team of two Britons and an Irishwoman are grappling with artificial waves, simulating what they might face during a rowing expedition in the Arctic Ocean. Their goal is to raise awareness about ocean conservation.
Paradoxically, they are training in one of the hottest regions of the world to prepare for a journey to one of the coldest and most climate-change-affected areas of the planet.
The team’s leader and the mastermind behind the “North Pole Challenge,” Toby Gregory, told AFP that completing the expedition would “set a precedent and increase awareness on the subject (of environmental protection), and showcase and share our story to inspire students and entrepreneurs to be the change they want to see in the world.”
In late July, Gregory (46), along with his companions Andrew Saville (39) and Orla Dempsey (30), will set out in an 8-meter-long, flag-bearing Emirati boat, without a motor or sail, on a journey that will rely solely on human power. The expedition is being carried out in partnership with the UN Environment Programme’s “Clean Seas” campaign.
The three adventurers will cover 1,500 kilometers from Tromsø, Norway, to Longyearbyen, the capital of the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard (formerly Spitsbergen), a region that is warming three times faster than the global average.
Gregory, who works as a media consultant for the UAE’s ruling family, recounts how a 2023 Atlantic Ocean rowing expedition inspired him to undertake another journey. He said, “I saw much more plastic than I had imagined.” According to the United Nations, plastic accounts for 85% of marine waste.
After his return, Gregory established the “The Plastic Pledge” project, which aims to raise awareness about plastic pollution among schoolchildren and engage them in programs to combat it.
According to Gregory, the project currently involves 200,000 students in 60 schools, and he aims to “inspire one million students, not just in the UAE, but around the world.”
