A Donegal woman is among a small elite group of young people worldwide setting off on an expedition to Antarctica today to preserve the continent’s unique landscape and wildlife as well as learning how to mitigate the effects of climate change.
Eimear Carlin from Milltown, Raphoe, is the only Irish representative on the ‘2041 Antarctic Youth Ambassador Programme’ and has been formally invited by Robert Swan OBE to take part in the three-week International Antarctic Expedition (IAE).
Swan was the first person to walk to both the North and South poles, in 1986 and 1989 respectively, and is now a renowned environmental leader who takes a select group of current and future environmental experts to Antarctica. His aim is to inspire the next generation of leaders to continue his work.
Ms Carlin, who has just completed a postgraduate diploma in Development Studies from Kimmage Development Studies Centre in Dublin, moved to Inuvik in the Canadian Arctic in 2004, and spent four years working the Canadian Forestry Sector. She worked mostly in reforestation, and personally planted over 600,000 trees.
“I became very interested in the environmental challenges faced by the Polar Regions and how changes in the Polar ecosystem can impact on the rest of the world,” she said.
“From living within the Arctic Circle I am used to working in extreme weather conditions, experiencing 24 hour darkness and temperatures in the -40s.
“I have travelled extensively throughout the North West Territories, witnessing the annual caribou migration. In 2006 I travelled to Northern and Arctic Finland to photograph brown bear migrations into Russia.”
The expedition will also see Ms Carlin complete Swan’s ‘Leadership on the Edge’ programme, the goal of which is to develop the skills of future business and environmental leaders. This will be held at the first ever Education Base established in Antarctica by Robert Swan at Bellinghausen Station.
“I will be setting off this weekend for a life-defining trip to Antarctica and to be honest, it has not sunk in yet, at all. The tickets are booked, the gear has been tried on, the words have passed my mouth a million times – “I am going to the Antarctic” – yet it doesn’t seem real,” she said.
“The past 20 weeks of fundraising have been an immensely steep learning curve. I have already learned such important life lessons, on the ground, running, at a million miles an hour. From Day One, the support from my friends has been invaluable.
“They proof-read, reread, and reread again my initially disastrous project proposals, and gave me tips for approaching businesses for sponsorship. I have been incredibly lucky with my sponsors. From the outset, they have shown amazing support and faith in the project.
“Ireland has been through such a tough ride over the last five years and funding is not easy to come by. For every 50 businesses I approached, I probably received three responses. This made me more resilient, and determined to succeed and to keep trying.
“The fact that I raised over €17,500 in such a short space of time is a testament to the generosity I have seen over the last few months. One thing that has struck me is how people will help you in any way they can. If they weren’t in a position to help financially, they gave their time, ideas, prizes for raffles, clothing, flags, Penguin biscuits by the hundred and extra batteries for my camera.
“The Antarctic Youth Ambassador Programme combines so many of my passions – climate change, sustainability and polar protection. I am quite realistic in how we in Ireland can engage in climate solutions.
“Job creation and ensuring a viable future in Ireland for young people has to be central to this. Awareness of this possibility is part of what I want to achieve in my work as a youth ambassador. As climate change has become our actual reality, involving today’s youth is more crucial than ever.
“I am incredibly proud to representing my home county of Donegal, and Ireland, on the Antarctic Youth Ambassador Programme and I hope that my story will inspire other young people. If you make the decision to undertake a project, dream or goal, it is possible to achieve it with hard work and belief in yourself.”
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