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POLAR POD – An Exploration of the Southern Ocean: mission’s construction kicks off as part of the Ocean Decade
An exploration of the Southern Ocean endorsed as an Action of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 20212030 the Ocean Decade will help to collect data and observations on this littleknown ocean basin Led by explorer JeanLouis Etienne the expedition will circumnavigate Antarctica twice between 2024 and 2026 on board the zeroemissions oceanographic platform POLAR POD The ship powered by six wind turbines is designed to be vertically driven by currents and winds reaching a height of 100 metres Construction is scheduled to begin in June 2022 and will be completed in December 2023 followed by several weeks of testing before departure in early 2024 The French scientific project coordinated by the National Centre for Scientific Research Centre national de la recherche scientifique CNRS in partnership with the National Centre for Space Studies Centre national détudes spatiales CNES and Ifremer has the support of 43 institutions and universities from 12 countries It is structured around four main axes Atmosphereocean exchanges the Southern Ocean is our planets main ocean carbon sink and a major climate regulator its cold and rough waters are estimated to absorb 50 of the carbon dioxide absorbed by the entire ocean Satellite remote sensing monitoring field observations of weather conditions sea states wind waves and ocean colour Biodiversity inventory marine flora and fauna highlysensitive hydrophones to capture the underwater soundscape Anthropogenic impacts assessment of pollution by aerosols microplastics pesticides organic pollutants heavy metals The POLAR POD expedition will also include an educational aspect with the development of a programme involving primary and secondary school teachers across France Not only will this programme allow students to experience the mission and its findings throughout the academic years it will also promote learning in natural physical and mathematical sciences as well as in languages history geography and the arts The educational programme will launch at the beginning of the 2022 school year with the followup of the construction and preparation of the expedition Along with the other Actions endorsed as part of the Ocean Decade this project will contribute to achieve the Decades vision of unlocking by 2030 the science we need for the ocean we want A tireless advocate for the planet JeanLouis Etienne is a doctor explorer and writer whose scientific and educational expeditions aim to raise awareness of the polar regions and explain the role these play in maintaining the balance of Earths climate He was the first man to reach the North Pole solo in 1986 following a 63day walk About the Ocean Decade The United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 20212030 Ocean Decade provides a convening framework for scientists governments academia businesses industry and civil society to develop the transformative solutions and partnerships needed to achieve a better understanding and protection of the ocean These sciencebased advances will contribute to achieving the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development The UN General Assembly mandated UNESCOs Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission IOC to coordinate the preparations and implementation of the Decade About POLAR POD AN EXPLORATION OF THE SOUTHERN OCEANClimate ∙ Marine biodiversity ∙ Space oceanography ∙ Contaminants Driven by the circumpolar current like a satellite around Antarctica the oceanographic platform POLAR POD will depart in 2024 for two roundtheworld voyages in the Southern Ocean The objective is to collect longterm data and observations on this ocean and make them accessible to researchers oceanographers climatologists and biologists worldwide Over a threeyear period this expedition worthy of Jules Verne will provide the opportunity to lead a major international educational project in real time on life earth and environmental sciences in collaboration with the International Union for Conservation of Nature IUCN For more information please contact Elsa Peny Etienne elsajeanlouisetiennecom
