the.climate.walker/InstagramIn an age of fast travel and faster consumption, one man is choosing a radically different pace. Next January, 25-year-old Jaydip Lakhankiya will set off on a formidable 18-month journey, walking 12,000 kilometres from Malta to his home country of India. His mission: to walk the talk on climate change.
The ambitious trek will see Lakhankiya cross 20 countries entirely on foot, using only ferries to connect from Malta to mainland Italy. His planned route will weave through European capitals and historic trade paths before confronting some of the most challenging terrains, including the desert expanses of Iran. He estimates he will wear through at least 20 pairs of shoes before reaching his final destination.
For Lakhankiya, the mode of transport is the message. He starkly contrasts his zero-emission journey with the approximate 300,000 kg of CO₂ emitted by a single flight from Malta to India. “In a world driven by speed, emissions, and consumption, I chose to slow down, to walk, as a symbol of what we urgently need: a shift from carbon emitting to carbon neutral,” he says.
A certified trekking instructor and seasoned adventurer, Lakhankiya is no stranger to epic journeys. He previously undertook a transformative six-month solo backpacking trip across rural India, travelling “by walking and hitchhiking for 182 days with almost no money.” Now studying in Malta, his research into climate change crystallised into this audacious plan, inspired by the ancient Silk Road trade routes.
But this is more than a personal challenge; it’s a mobile awareness campaign. Dubbing the mission ‘Walk for Earth,’ Lakhankiya plans to document his journey daily as ‘The Climate Walker’ on social media. His goal is to connect with local communities, visit schools, and interview people about how climate change is affecting their lives, turning his footsteps into a global conversation.
He points to the devastating floods in Punjab and increasing climate disasters as a call to action, arguing that a lack of education is a core issue. “We need to conquer our self, our fears, desires, anger, hunger, selfishness. This is what needs to be conquered, not the forest or nature,” he reflects.
With a tent, a sleeping bag, and a profound belief that one person can catalyse change, Jaydip Lakhankiya is preparing to step out for a 12,000-kilometre protest in motion, a living testament to the possibility of a slower, more sustainable world.
