Following up from our blog last week, we were relieved to learn that The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) has been saved. The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) has scrapped its plans for a merger between BAS and the National Oceanography Centre.
We joined with Greenpeace, WWF-UK and Friends of the Earth, together with many senior scientists and MPs to strongly oppose the merger.
Our chief concern was the proposed mission of the merged centre, which described polar regions as ‘frontiers for development’. These concerns were shared by the government’s Environmental Audit Committee, which warned that research should not be aimed at reducing the risks for those exploiting the Arctic . The Environmental Audit Committee has also recently called for oil drilling in the Arctic to be halted until effective oil spill measures are in place, and a global sanctuary created.
Right now, with the Arctic melting at a record rate, and growing uncertainty over the effect of climate change on the Antarctic, we need BAS’ world-class science more than ever. We need objective science that can properly inform decision-making. Many thanks to everyone who signed the petition and helped secure its future for now.