British UNEP Patron of the ocean, Lewis Pugh, has completed the world’s first swim across the Red Sea, from Saudi Arabia to Egypt to highlight the impact of climate change on coral reefs.
The University of Cape Town alumnus is known for swimming in sub-zero waters. Pugh – often known as the “Human Polar Bear” – has uniquely completed a swim in almost every ocean in the world, including the freezing-cold Arctic and Antarctica.
This time, he spent 16 hazardous days conquering some of the world’s warmest waters.
From 11 to 16 October 2022, Pugh swam a total of 123 km between the two continents with one clear message to share: “Coral reefs are vital, spectacular ecosystems that support a quarter of ocean life. Climate change is destroying them.”
I’ve completed the #CoralSwim! ?
123 km. 16 days. 2 continents. 1 message:
Coral reefs are vital, spectacular ecosystems that support a quarter of ocean life. Climate change is destroying them.
At #COP27 we need urgent action to prevent any further loss.
Please share. pic.twitter.com/iuSa6vjefI
— Lewis Pugh (@LewisPugh) October 26, 2022
Pugh is calling for all nations to tackle the climate crisis by drastically cutting their carbon emissions and for at least 30% of the world’s oceans to be protected by 2030 to be more resilient to global warming.
In his ‘Coral Swim’, he swam over some of the world’s most famous coral reefs and was joined by swimmers from both Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
Pugh will also be attending the UN Climate Conference (COP27) set to take place in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt from 6 to 18 November. There, he will urge world leaders to move beyond long-term environmental commitments toward immediate urgent action.
Take a look:
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Picture: Lewis Pugh / Twitter
