Explorer Matthieu Tordeur and glaciologist Heidi Sevestre are preparing for an unprecedented expedition to Antarctica aimed at raising awareness about ice melt.
Just days before COP30 opens in Brazil, Tordeur and Sevestre hope to remind governments of the urgency to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They will traverse the white continent by kite-ski, covering 4,000 kilometers while being pulled by sails.
Currently in Cape Town, South Africa, they plan to depart this Wednesday, weather permitting. Over three months, they will cross Antarctica from east to west, using radar technology to study the polar ice sheet. The goal is to better understand Antarctica’s role in sea-level rise. The mission is conducted under the auspices of UNESCO, as 2025 has been designated by the United Nations as the Year of Glacier Preservation.
Facing Temperatures Down to -50°C
Tordeur and Sevestre will haul 200 kilograms of equipment and supplies in sleds for the entire three-month journey. Every gram counts: “In the morning, it’s 70 grams of oats, 14 grams of raisins. Over 90 days, the amount of food we need is astronomical,” explains Sevestre. “It’s the coldest, driest, and windiest continent on the planet,” adds Tordeur. “Temperatures can easily drop to -50 degrees.”
Searching for Ice 130,000 Years Old
The pair will scan the polar ice sheet using ground-penetrating radar to locate ice that is 130,000 years old. “130,000 years ago, the Earth was three degrees warmer. That’s what we risk if governments fail to implement their ambitious emission reduction targets,” warns Sevestre.
If this ancient ice has disappeared in some areas, it would indicate that Antarctica partially melted during a period when temperatures were +3°C. Such a collapse today could raise sea levels by 4 to 6 meters. “Even losing a small part of Antarctica could affect hundreds of millions of people,” explains the glaciologist. Through their expedition, Tordeur and Sevestre aim to make a lasting impression and stress once again the urgency of the climate crisis.
