WARSAW: Scaling the world’s second-highest peak, K2, in winter is one of the last great feats in mountaineering — and despite what some see as a lack of experience, 28-year-old Pole Magdalena Gorzkowska wants to be the first to do it.
If Gorzkowska, a medal-winning runner who also became the youngest Polish woman ever to climb Mount Everest, makes it to the summit, she will have made history and silenced those who see her attempt as a social media stunt with no chance of success.
“Everyone can have their opinion, and some believe that it takes many years to be able to face such challenges. I just do what I feel I can do,” Gorzkowska told Reuters by telephone from her base camp. “Why should I limit myself?“
Gorzkowska is one of several mountaineers attempting this winter to scale K2, which at 8,611 meters (28,251 feet) is second only to Mount Everest.
Gorzkowska, who is being accompanied by sherpas, said she had returned to her base camp, at an altitude of 5,000 meters, after an acclimatization trip that saw her spend a night at a camp at 6,550 meters.
“The conditions were very difficult. The mountain gives you a hard time, it is very demanding. You have to climb hard all the time, the wind is very strong. It is at least minus 30 degrees non-stop,” she said.
K2, in the Karakorum mountains along the border between China and Pakistan, is notorious for its high winds, especially steep and icy slopes, and a high fatality rate among climbers. Eighty-six climbers are reported to have died on its slopes.
Two years ago, a Polish team abandoned their attempt to reach the summit in winter due to heavy snow.
The scale of the challenge has made some in the male-dominated world of Polish mountaineering regard her bid with skepticism.
“Just wait for the desire to attack K2 in winter to be announced by top Polish Youtubers, Instagrammers or other influencers,” Polish mountaineer Marcin Miotk said, on hearing the news of her attempt.
Gorzkowska is unfazed by such comments.
“I dreamt of K2 in winter and that’s why I’m here. Maybe they (her critics) don’t have dreams like that, maybe they aren’t so determined,” she said.
‘Why limit myself?’ Polish climber aims to defy critics with K2 bid
https://arab.news/vd5d7
‘Why limit myself?’ Polish climber aims to defy critics with K2 bid
- 28-year-old Pole Magdalena Gorzkowska is a medal-winning runner who also became the youngest Polish woman ever to climb Mount Everest
- Two years ago, a Polish team abandoned their attempt to reach the summit in winter due to heavy snow
Pakistan, UK sign £35 million Green Compact to strengthen climate resilience
- Pakistan ranks among nations most vulnerable to climate change and has seen erratic changes in its weather patterns
- UK will help Pakistan mobilize climate finance, strengthen regulatory frameworks and develop bankable climate projects
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United Kingdom (UK) have formalized a comprehensive climate partnership with the launch of a Green Compact that aims to enhance climate resilience, accelerate clean energy transition and scale up nature-based solutions, including mangrove conservation, Pakistani state media reported on Sunday.
The agreement, signed in Islamabad by Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Dr. Musadik Malik and UK Minister for International Development Jennifer Chapman, unlocks £35 million in targeted support for green development and long-term climate action, according to Radio Pakistan broadcaster.
Pakistan ranks among nations most vulnerable to climate change and has seen erratic changes in its weather patterns that have led to frequent heatwaves, untimely rains, storms, cyclones, floods and droughts in recent years. In 2022, monsoon floods killed over 1,700 people, displaced another 33 million and caused over $30 billion losses, while another 1,037 people were killed in floods this year.
Mohammad Saleem Shaikh, a spokesperson for Pakistan’s Ministry of Climate Change, described the compact as a “decisive move toward action-oriented climate cooperation,” noting that its implementation over the next decade will be critical for Pakistan which regularly faces floods, heatwaves and water stress.
“The Compact is structured around five core pillars: climate finance and investment, clean energy transition, nature-based solutions, innovation and youth empowerment, and adaptation and resilience,” the report read.
“Under the agreement, the UK will work with Pakistan to mobilize public and private climate finance, strengthen regulatory frameworks for green investment, and develop bankable climate projects.”
Clean energy forms a central component of Pakistan’s transition, with Islamabad planning to expand solar and wind generation to reduce fossil fuel dependence, improve energy security and stabilize power costs, according to Shaikh.
“Renewable energy is now economically competitive, making the transition both environmentally and financially viable,” he was quoted as saying.
“Nature-based solutions, particularly large-scale mangrove restoration, will protect coastal communities from storm surges and erosion while enhancing biodiversity and carbon sequestration.”
Under the Compact, technical support, mentoring and access to investors will be provided to climate-smart startups and young innovators, reflecting Pakistan’s recognition of youth-led initiatives as central to future climate solutions.
On the occasion, Chapman, on her first official visit to Pakistan, underscored the urgency of climate action, highlighting the UK’s support for renewable energy, mangrove and ecosystem restoration, early-warning systems, climate budgeting and international investment flows into Pakistan.
Shaikh described the Green Compact as “a strategic turning point” in Pakistan–UK relations on climate change, saying its effective implementation is essential for Pakistan to meet its national climate targets.
