The New Zealand singer, Lord, has made a heartfelt statement on the climate crisis after visiting the Antarctic continent.
According to the young artist, the statements and actions of Donald Trump, the California fires and Greta Tunberg were the reasons why he decided to visit the icy continent before it became a “hurricane”.
In an essay published in Metro magazine, Lord announced the publication of a book about his travels, The South Road, noting that the proceeds from its sale would fund one of the student’s climate research studies.
“A year ago, the Trump administration announced that it was going to leave the Paris climate agreement. Then, in August, a 15-year-old Swedish girl, Greta Tunberg, appeared and sat in front of the country’s parliament with a banner. Was able to mobilize an entire generation to demand climate protection reforms.
That summer, as I was sitting on the beach with my friends under the scorching sun, I was reading Uninhabited Earth [David Wallace-Wales’ book on the effects of climate change]. The fact that in the not-too-distant future Antarctica was slowly turning into a hurricane and increasing the volume of the Southern Ocean, made me think. I wanted to go south again; I was constantly calling, I got vaccines to strengthen my immunity, and finally, as it turned out, this day has come – the dream musician went to the world. “

Getty Images/DigitalVision/Paul Souders
During the five-day voyage, the singer interviewed a number of scientists and experts. The Lord was particularly outraged by the fact that he himself was in a “last resort” – a reference to places of interest that may soon disappear.
“Antarctica is not your motherland. It can not be your pillow when you fall,” the musician wrote. “Being in Antarctica is not always fun, more specifically. “The idea that I should not be here.
Lorde’s debut book cover.
Lord also noted that Antarctica has become a source of inspiration for his next album as the continent embodies an alternate reality.
“It sets Antarctica apart – the harsh environment looks like an eternity, but it is extremely vulnerable. It is vital for the future of civilization, though uninhabited and, for some, unattainable,” the singer adds. “There is always a mysterious silence here – you do not even hear the sound of the breeze, because nothing can do its crawling.”
Researchers say Antarctica is the fastest changing place in the world in the last 30 years – its central part is warming three times faster during this period than the rest of the world. In February, the continent recorded the highest temperature in its history – the Argentine research station recorded 18.3 degrees Celsius, which is 0.8 degrees higher than the previous record.
The Antarctic Peninsula – part of the continent facing South America – is one of the fastest warming places in the world. According to the World Meteorological Organization, the temperature here has risen by 3 degrees Celsius over the last 50 years.
Ella Maria Lenny Yelich-O’Connor, Lord by stage pseudonym, is one of the most successful young musicians. The two Grammy-winning singer’s first studio album was released in 2013, the second and so far last, and Melodrama in 2017. Lord’s debut book, published under his real and full name, will see the light of day in 2021.