HK polar explorer Wilson Cheung named world's top ten outstanding young persons 2025
發佈日期: 2025-11-16 22:12
TVB News
Hong Kong polar explorer Wilson Cheung Wai-yin has been named as one of the world's top ten outstanding young persons this year, for his 15 years of glacier research.
Witnessing climate crisis firsthand, he noted glaciers are melting at an alarming rate.
Samantha Li spoke with the adventurer, on how the situation may threaten the Earth's ecosystem and food safety.
Icebergs crumbling from glaciers in Greenland.
Polar bears no longer hunting on sea ice, but seen searching for food on land.
Temperatures rise, gnats appear.
At the South Pole, warm and moist air brought unusual rainfall.
Newborn penguins struck by atypical snow storm.
But these are just the "tip of the iceberg."
Over the years, Wilson Cheung Wai-yin has embarked on his scientific expedition alongside climate change experts and glaciologists from around the world, in the Arctic, Antarctica and the Himalayas.
Wilson said, "In our decade, we may see that they will lose half of the ice mass in the Canadian Arctic. Moreover, for instance, in Switzerland, in the Alps or in the Himalayas, most of the mountain glaciers will actually disappear in 2050, which will impact all the water resources and all the agriculture which relies on the fresh water from the glacier."
Born to a working-class family, Cheung lived in temporary housing without air conditioning when he was young.
So he went to the public library often, where he gained a lot of knowledge.
Wilson said, "Glacier is telling us a story. If you're patient enough and have knowledge enough to read the story, and they do tell you all the stories, from the Earth system that you never learnt before."
From the Hong Kong grassroots to the Earth's polar regions, Cheung seizes every opportunity to explore the world.
During college years, he first set foot in the Antarctica on a tour.
After graduation, he worked in a mountain hut in Switzerland where he learnt mountaineering and skiing. He then earned a PhD in glaciology in Canada.
In 2022, he was recognized as one of the world's top 50 influential explorers -- the first in Asia.
This year, he was further honored among the world's top ten outstanding young persons.
