By Pen Hadow

Posted on March 10

"Interesting phone call yesterday. On one end of the line me, huddled in the tent, -40 outside, wind howling, shouting into the sat phone which my big, gloved hands always struggle to grip.

At the other end, from a comfortable chair in a cosy conference hall, the Secretary of State for International Development, Douglas Alexander MP!

Mr Alexander was asking me questions about the expedition, in front of an audience of 500 delegates, all of whom have a particular interest in how climate change will affect less developed countries.

To have a direct connection to the corridors of power from the wilderness of the Arctic was quite something, in both political and logistical terms.

I couldn’t see the conference hall of course, but I know it was packed and I could sense the tension that the link from our extreme conditions here provoked.

The conversation lasted about 5 minutes and I hope the highly unusual circumstances ensured that the content of what we were saying had maximum impact.

We spoke about how poorer countries are not only likely to feel the effects of climate change more strongly, but are also less able to defend against them.

When the call time was up and we said goodbye, I put down the phone and banged my hands together to warm them up.

It was 4 o’clock GMT ….about time for tea and biscuits in the conference hall I expect!"