In 1990, Erling Kagge became the first person to reach the North Pole without the assistance of skidoos, dogs or an external support team. In 1993 he became the first person in history to walk alone to the South Pole, and then, in 1994, he climbed Mount Everest. He thus fulfilled his personal ambition to become the first explorer to reach the Earth’s three poles. He has sailed across the Atlantic twice, around Cape Horn, to the Antarctic and to the Galapagos Islands.
As a successful adventurer, Erling Kagge has obtained fame, attention and recognition. After the South Pole expedition, he appeared on the cover of Time magazine as a modern adventurer pushing the edge of exploration. The National Geographic has defined him as a "tough guy" and Die Welt as a "brave man". L’Equipe has written that Erling Kagge "has done the impossible, with class and discretion".
 
Today, what makes Erling Kagge’s voice significant in raising the awareness of a wider public is his life’s philosophy, one that he has developed after tempting fate in the great outdoors. "It can feel both unpleasant and somewhat risky to change your own world. But perhaps it’s even more risky to remain passive... What you will regret in times to come are the chances you didn’t take, the initiative you didn’t show, and what you didn’t do", he wrote in his recent book Philosophy for Polar Explorers.

In our present times, climate change and the search for ways to reduce the impact of human activities on global warming is one of the greatest challenges facing people all over the world. Kagge’s view on how we can face this challenge could be inspiring for all of us.

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