Plymouth-born environmental campaigner Lewis Gordon Pugh became the first person to complete a long-distance swim on Mount Everest when he complete a 1km swim on the glacial lake next to the Khumbu Glacier on Mount Everest.
It took him 22 minutes and 51 seconds in water that was 2 degrees centrigade at an altitude of 5,300 metres above sea level.
And the reason, Lewis says on his site: ‘These glaciers are not just ice. They are a lifeline. They provide water to some 2 billion people – nearly a third of the world’s population. The peoples of India, China, Pakistan, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Nepal, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Bhutan depend on the melt water from the Himalayan and Hindu Kush glaciers.But they are melting due to climate change. And without a regular supply of water, there is a real risk of instability in the region.
“This is a Swim for Peace. It is a plea to every nation, to do everything it can, to put a stop to climate change. We are now living in a global environment. What happens in one part of the world will directly impact every other part. And when it comes to cutting carbon emissions, we must stop arguing about whether China, the USA or the EU should act first. Given the urgency of the situation every country needs to put in place every solution at its disposal.”
(image: Lewis Pugh starting his swim across the North Pole in 2007, by Jason Roberts)
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