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Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg honoured by the Explorers Club in New York

Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg have been awarded the Explorers Medal by the Explorers Club in New York for their circumnavigation of the globe in Solar Impulse.

Bertrand was already honoured by the Explorers Club following his circumnavigation of the world in a balloon - another first - completed with Brian Jones in 1999. During the ceremony held in New York on March 25, he declared:

" When you gave me the Explorers Medal after my balloon flight, I made you the promise to fly around the world again, but this time in a solar airplane. André and I finally made it. The duty of explorers is to continue making a cleaner world!"

 For the Piccard family where exploration is a family tradition, it is another chapter in their remarkable story; both Bertrand’s father, Jacques - who in 1960 was the first person to reach the Mariana trench, the deepest-known point on the ocean floor, and his Grandfather, Auguste - who in 1931 and 1932 made the first two ascents into the stratosphere, were recipients of the Explorers Medal in 2000 and 1954 respectively.

Each year, the Explorers Club honors those individuals for their accomplishments in exploration. The Explorers Medal - the highest honour that can be bestowed by the Club - is awarded for extraordinary contributions directly in the field of exploration, scientific research, or the welfare of humanity. Past winners include Edmund Hillary, the first astronauts like John Glenn and Neil Armstrong, and flight pioneers like Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart and Chuck Yeager. In addition to Bertrand and André, the 2017 medal has also been awarded to Nainoa Thompson for his historic work on Polynesian way finding.

Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg flank former President of the Explorers Club Alan Nichols, holding aloft the Explorers Club flag. Since 1918, the flag has been carried by Club members on recognized flag expeditions that further the cause of exploration and field science. To this date, there are a total of 202 individually numbered flags (Solar Impulse is #50) each with their own history.

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The first day of a new era?

When I woke up this morning, I found myself hoping that the COP21 agreement could really make a difference in this selfish and blind world we live in. 195 countries agreeing on ambitious measures to protect the planet, and more importantly humanity, that’s not nothing. Replacing old polluting and inefficient systems with modern and clean technologies, ceasing to burn fuel in engines and heaters, simply becoming “logical” and not just “ecological”.

We were behind the scenes of COP21 in Paris, and were thus able to live each moment of this deal. Eight members of Solar Impulse spent 2 weeks, with hundreds of other specialists, motivating negotiators towards a historical decision, informing the press, and proving that solutions exist and have become profitable. Today, we are profoundly happy. Laurent Fabius and Christina Figueres’ leadership was exceptional. Congratulations to the French government and United Nations, from the whole Solar Impulse team!

Beyond the relief, there is also the hope that these measures will be implemented soon and in their entirety. But what exactly does the agreement stipulate?

The text plans to maintain global warming by 2100 “well below 2°C compared to pre-industrial levels” and to “pursue efforts to limit the rise of temperatures to 1.5°C”.

The intermediary steps are more vague: reach a “peak of global greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible” and, in the second half of the XXIth century, achieve a “balance” between emissions and their absorption by carbon sinks. Let’s remember that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) deems necessary to reduce global emissions by 40% to 70% by 2050 to avoid an uncontrollable disruption of the climate.

The principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities” of the countries regarding climate change, is recognised and mentioned in several articles.

The amount of $100 billion per year, promised by the developed countries to the developing countries until 2020 to help them reduce their emissions and adapt to the impacts of global warming, is a starting point. A higher financial aid will be established before 2025.

The importance of loss and damage, dear to the countries most vulnerable to climate change, is acknowledged in a very general way, and no “compensation” from the developed countries is planned.

Every 5 years, the emissions-reduction commitment of each country will be reviewed to be made more ambitious.

The agreement will come into force in 2020, but any country will be able to withdraw itself from 2023.

Parties should, when taking action to address climate change, respect, promote and consider their respective obligations on human rights.

Acknowledging the need to promote universal access to sustainable energy in developing countries, in particular in Africa, through the enhanced deployment of renewable energy.

It goes to show that pioneering spirit can also exist in the political and legal world…

Bertrand Piccard

Watch also the UNFCCC - COP21 Best-of in 10 minutes

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