Parker Liautaud facts for kids

Parker Liautaud, born on August 12, 1994, is an amazing explorer and climate researcher. He has gone on many trips to the Earth's coldest places, like the North Pole and South Pole. He studied at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, and later earned his PhD from Harvard University.

Exploring the Poles

By the time he was 17, Parker had already explored the North Pole three times! These were incredible journeys to the very top of the world.

When he was 19, Parker led a big trip called the Willis Resilience Expedition. This adventure took him to the South Pole, at the bottom of the Earth. It was a two-part journey across Antarctica with a group called Willis Group.

First, they traveled about 1900 kilometers (that's about 1180 miles) across Antarctica. During this part, they did important research about climate change. After that, they trekked another 560 kilometers (about 348 miles) from the edge of Antarctica right to the South Pole. Parker and another explorer, Doug Stoup, finished this amazing expedition on December 24, 2013.

During the Willis Resilience Expedition, Parker and his team even did live video interviews from Antarctica! They talked to news shows like Good Morning America and CNBC's Squawk Box.

Working on Climate Change

Parker Liautaud has been working on climate issues since he was 14 years old. He cares a lot about our planet's future.

He has interviewed important world leaders about climate change. These include Kofi Annan, who used to be the head of the UN, and Mary Robinson, a former President of Ireland. In September 2013, former US Vice President Al Gore even interviewed Parker at a big event called the United Nations Foundation Social Good Summit.

Parker often talks about how climate change can affect businesses and our world. He believes that businesses need to understand and prepare for these changes. In 2014, he spoke at the Clinton Global Initiative and said that our world is facing new kinds of risks. He thinks that if businesses focus on these risks, they will take action and become stronger.

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal in 2014, Parker said that private companies are in a good position to help solve climate change problems. However, he also felt that many businesses were not taking these risks seriously enough yet.

Parker also wrote an article for UN Women in 2014. In it, he explained how climate change can make problems like gender inequality worse. He asked for more action to help achieve equality for everyone, calling it a "non-negotiable priority."

In 2021, Parker finished his PhD at Harvard University. His research focused on understanding how ice ages have changed over the last 3 million years.

Awards and Honours

Parker Liautaud has received special recognition for his work:

• In December 2013, while he was still in Antarctica, Time Magazine named Parker one of the top 30 people under 30 who are changing the world.
• In March 2014, The White House honored Parker as a "Champion of Change." This award was for his efforts in inspiring young people to become leaders in protecting our environment.

See also

In Spanish: Parker Liautaud para niños