Bertrand Piccard named UN Environment Programme ambassador

Bertrand Piccard, right, founder of the long-range experimental solar-powered aircraft project Solar Impulse, with Achin Steiner of the United Nations Environment Programme. Jacques Demarthon / AFP

PARIS // The visionary behind the UAE-backed Solar Impulse, the only aircraft capable of flying day and night without using a drop of fuel, was on Tuesday named as the United Nations Environment Programme Goodwill Ambassador.

Bertrand Piccard received his designation during a ceremony in Paris where he is advocating an ambitious climate-change agreement and more investment in renewable energy at the Cop21 meeting.

“This designation is an encouragement to continue showing how many incredible things can be done with renewable energies, but also to implement more energy efficient technologies in our world,” Mr Piccard said.

The Swiss pilot and founder of the Solar Impulse project had to cut short his attempt to circumnavigate the globe in the plane earlier this year when they were grounded halfway through by technical problems.

“Of course that was hard but it is not the end. We are going to try again in the future and make sure that we finish, the dream for me is still alive,” he said.

His dream, as he said, began in Abu Dhabi when he took off on the plane in an attempt to go around the world using only solar energy.

One of the Solar Impulse support team was Emirati Hasan Al Redaini, who said he was not surprised that Mr Piccard had been awarded the position.

“When we were going from one country to another, the way Mr Piccard would interact with kids and tell the story, he was able to convey the message, and get everyone interested in what he had to say,” he said. “So he’s a perfect match because of how genuine his approach was.”

Mr Al Redaini, who is with his former boss at Cop21 working with Masdar, a key partner for Solar Impulse, spent six months this year travelling with the Solar Impulse support team.

“We always said that the plane doesn’t carry passengers it carries a message, the message of renewables,” he said. “I’m excited to get back to it and I’m 90 per cent going to rejoin the team, and continue the once-in-a-lifetime journey.”

The Solar Impulse team, now grounded, is repairing the damage sustained in its last flight. The team expects to resume the flight early next year.

“When Bertrand’s plane takes off again from Hawaii, people of the world will live the adventure alongside him,” said Achim Steiner, United Nations Environment Programme executive director.

Together with Andre Borschberg, the project’s co-founder and co-pilot, the duo covered 19,957 kilometres, starting in Abu Dhabi in February this year before landing in Hawaii.

The most recent leg allowed Mr Borschberg to break the world record for longest-recorded non-stop flight as he took off from Japan and landed in Hawaii five days later.

“As Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme, every hour of his flight and preparations will be an opportunity for him and the Solar Impulse team to bring those people closer to a vision Unep has advocated and supported in our work for many years.”