The Climate Run

Climate change will undoubtedly be the greatest environmental threat humanity has ever faced. The effects of global warming can now be seen in regions all around the world and the unparalleled temperature rise is showing no signs of slowing.  Last year marked the first time in several million years that atmospheric concentrations of CO2 passed 400 parts per million, a sober reminder that the state of our climate is unprecedented.

That is why from 16 November to 16 December I am going to be running 400km* (just over 19 half marathons) in different countries all around the world that are already severely feeling the effects of global warming in different ways. Most days I will be running the half marathon in the morning and travelling in the afternoon, with a couple of spare days set aside for long-haul travel. The aim of the run is two-fold:

​- to illustrate the widespread and obscure effects occurring around the world where climate change is likely a contributing factor, such as tropical disease epidemics in Italy, melting permafrost in Alaska, shrinking lakes in Mexico and island erosion in Kiribati. In doing this I hope to encourage action at home, by raising awareness and support for the Zero Carbon Act (as explained below); and

-to raise money towards climate change response, mitigation and / or adaptation measures in the South Pacific.

In each place I run we will be writing a blog explaining the specific effects and will be filming parts of the run and aiming to secure interviews with people directly affected. I have endeavoured to reduce the carbon emissions from this project by offsetting the emissions from the flights I will be taking, and you can find out more about this on our website. I know that paying to offset emissions is not a permanent fix, however I hope that the stories that we are telling through this project will outweigh the inevitable impact in this instance.

Earlier this year Generation Zero (a youth-led climate organisation) released a blueprint for the Zero Carbon Act (see - https://zerocarbonact.nz/). If passed, the Act will provide a means of securing binding targets to reduce CO2 emissions in New Zealand and will force the government to put in place an adequate framework to ensure those targets are met. New Zealand's economy massively relies on the clean green image that we outwardly project; however our history of soft targets and lack of long-term environmental strategy has put us behind our international partners with regards to emission reduction. As an island nation, we really need to start thinking seriously about the effects of climate change. I hope that this run will start to hammer home the seriousness of this cause and contribute (albeit in a small way) to the groundswell of public support that we will need to get the Zero Carbon Act passed, as well as providing funding to assist with adapting or responding to climate change in future.

*Subject to injury. Shortly before publishing this page I found out that I have a stress fracture in my foot. Should I not be able to run the whole route, I still aim to complete the 400km whether that be by walking, hobbling, or worst case, biking.  We want to be as transparent as possible to anyone intending on donating - so please keep this in mind.