The 2018 IPCC special report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5 °C highlighted that global emissions of greenhouse gases need to reduce to net zero by 2050 if we are to restrict global temperature increases to 1.5C above pre-industrial averages. Achieving this target will demand changes across sectors, as well as individual behaviours.
British Antarctic Survey works to understand, tackle and mitigate the effects of climate change, and embed evidence in decision making and climate policy. Our scientific research programmes and Net Carbon Zero Strategy underpin the UK’s commitment to:
- achieving a net zero economy by 2050
- respond to the challenges of climate change
- live more sustainably
BAS Net Zero Carbon Strategy 2020 – 2040
Our strategy is driven by our scientific research findings and is aligned to UKRI-NERC Environmental Sustainability Strategy. We focus on 5 pillars of activity that will help us meet our strategic goals. These are:
- Net Zero Carbon Science for the Future
- Infrastructure
- Transport & Logistics
- Supply Chain
- Community
Three working groups co-ordinate key areas and report progress to the BAS Executive Team. These are:
- Net Zero Carbon Science for the Future
- Decarbonisation Management
- Communication and Awareness
Our ambition is to:
- achieve net zero carbon by 2040 from our owned operations including our measurable scope 3 emissions aligned with the UKRI Environmental Sustainability Strategy
- meet the interim targets approved by NERC (40% Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions reduction by 2025, 70% GHG emissions reduction by 2035)
- contribute to the global efforts of global warming mitigation and adaptation
- ensure all of us within BAS work together as a team with a common sense of purpose, values and direction
Our strategic aims are to:
- Deliver world-leading science with effective carbon management at its core
- Deliver the decarbonisation of all Antarctic stations and Cambridge offices within the next decade
- Develop a high impact decarbonisation plan for transport & main access to Antarctica
- Identify the whole supply chain contribution to BAS carbon footprint
- Create external and internal-engagement campaigns to drive forward the ambitions of the net zero strategy
Our five pillars 20-year goals
Pillar 1: Net Zero Carbon Science for the Future
- All BAS science projects delivered with net zero carbon emissions in line with NERC/UKRI
- BAS strategies for reducing carbon emissions adopted by other science communities within UK and beyond
- BAS science used in developing and assessing climate policy
- BAS observations systems/practices in place, integrated internationally, to assess Earth system change
Pillar 2: Infrastructure
- All BAS Estate has achieved net zero carbon emissions supported by renewable energy
- East Antarctica research station is built as a net zero carbon station
- Embodied carbon from infrastructure projects is considerably reduced through targeted decisions
Pillar 3: Transport & Logistics
- Zero or very low carbon transportation
- Unavoidable carbon emissions are removed from the atmosphere
- Equilibrium of emissions and removals is net zero
Pillar 4: Supply Chain
- BAS Supply chain supports the Net Zero strategy and shares the same values
Pillar 5: Community
- BAS achieves the ambition set in the Net Zero strategy
23 March, 2021
Construction expert BAM Nuttall, with design consultants Sweco, have won a tender for a new 10-year partnership to take forward an ambitious programme to modernise the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) …
Science, business and operational planning
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The largest British Antarctic facility is a centre for biological research and a hub for supporting deep-field science.
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King Edward Point is primarily a marine and fisheries research station. Owned by the Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (GSGSSI) and operated by British Antarctic Survey …
