Mark Wood reflects on reaching South Pole

Phil Byrne

25 January 2012

Do you believe in ghosts? My factor-40 complexion has haunted its fair share of beach dwellers. Speaking of which, did you know you can get sunburn at the South Pole?

Snow reflects the sun. But believe it or not, blinded and burnt middle-class skiers aren't the most pressing concern here. And if you heard the latest podcast by polar explorer Mark Wood, you'll know what I'm talking about.

This man is half-way to setting a world first. He's reached the South Pole - on his own - and is now set to conquer the North.

But before he headed off to the Arctic, he spoke to our Campaigns and Policy Director, Craig Bennett, about the snow and the sun.

They talked about something called the Albedo Effect - how much light a surface reflects.

You see, if the white stuff melts, less light is reflected back into space. Darker areas absorb more light, which turns to heat. This increase in temperature melts yet more snow and ice, speeding up the process.

You can see where we're going here? The South and North Poles are warming faster than the rest of the planet.

OK, so it's bad for the penguins but what about us? Melted white stuff means higher sea levels - which, unless you're reading this up a mountain, isn't ideal. Certainly not if you're from The Maldives.

Mark's confessed to not being an expert on climate change - but he's seen its impacts first hand. And it's made him do an expedition described as the toughest journey on the planet - all to raise awareness and inspire action.

I'm not suggesting you wrestle a polar bear - hopefully neither will Mark - but we can make a difference. 

Giving £5 a month helps us campaign on issues that affect us all - like energy, food and nature.  What's the other option? Underwater ghost towns?

Phil Byrne, Publishing & New Media team