Pen Hadow – Keynote Speaker

Pen Hadow is a leading explorer of the Arctic Ocean, now dedicated to advancing protection for the wildlife and ecosystem in the international waters around the North Pole.

Hadow leads the 90 North Foundation (www.90northfoundation.org) which is advocating an upgrade of the existing fishing and shipping agreements to create a North Pole Reserve through a subsequent Arctic Treaty System. He is also director of the annual scientific research and public engagement programme, Arctic Mission, which supports the Unit’s work.

The 90 North Foundation is introducing a significant new perspective on the Arctic’s diminishing sea ice, revealing that the environmental issue is less about the geophysics of a melting layer of frozen sea water, and far more about the potentially catastrophic loss of a globally unique “floating ice-reef ecosystem” which includes some of the world’s most iconic species – polar bear, walrus, bowhead whale, orca, narwhal, beluga and seal.

In 2017 Arctic Mission sailed two 50’ vessels into the North Pole’s international waters, the first non-icebreaking vessels in history to do so, to demonstrate the increasing accessibility of these waters to surface commercial shipping, fishing, tourism and mining, and therefore the human threat to the wildlife already-stressed by its reduced sea-ice cover habitat.

Previously, Pen Hadow led the multi-award-winning £7.5m international scientific research programme, Catlin Arctic Survey (2007-2012) investigating the rates, causes and impacts of the Arctic’s rapidly melting sea ice.

In 2003 Hadow became the first person to trek solo, and without resupply, across the Arctic’s sea ice from Canada to the North Geographic Pole – a feat that took three attempts over 15 years … will likely never be repeated due to climate change. He is also the first Briton, without resupply, to both the North and South Geographic Poles from their respective continental coastlines.

Pen Hadow has written books, including the best-seller, Solo, self-filmed a TV documentary for National Geographic, presented a series on BBC Radio 4, and contributed to numerous TV documentaries and books about adventure and exploration. Hadow is an Honorary Patron of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society, British Exploring Society, Scientific Exploration Society, and The Explorers Club (UK Chapter).

Hadow’s affinity with the polar regions and its wildlife began through his extraordinary childhood connection with the dying words of Captain Robert Falcon Scott (‘Scott of the Antarctic’) and his son, the world-renown naturalist and WWF founder, Sir Peter Scott.