Survey to accurately predict Ice cap's end

“Nine out of ten, to Gordon Brown for talking the talk - but now is the time to walk the walk,” said Britain's leading Arctic environmentalist and explorer Pen Hadow, commenting on Gordon Brown’s speech on the environment today (November 19)..

“It has taken world leaders far too long to acknowledge that time really is running out - despite the accumulating evidence including the imminent disappearance of the Arctic ice cap.

“The IPCC report has shown that climate change is 'unequivocal' and nowhere is the evidence more stark, than in the Arctic Ocean. It is in crisis and the consequences of the melting of the ice cap will have an impact on people living all over the world – not just on polar bears and Arctic foxes.

“It's to be hoped that all governments will go at least as far as Gordon Brown has today in tackling climate change by reducing emissions. The UN meeting in Indonesia next month will be a golden opportunity for leaders to show their commitment to halting the disastrous impact of global warming.

“Next year, I will deliver to world scientists a definitive survey of the thickness of the Arctic ice cap which will determine how long there will be a permanent ice cap at the North Pole and help prepare world leaders for the momentous global consequences of ice cap meltdown.”

In February 2008, Pen Hadow will 'walk the walk' and set off from Point Barrow, in Alaska, on a 120-day trek to the North Pole.

He will lead the Vanco Arctic Survey team and conduct a survey of the thickness of the Arctic ice cap using a specially-designed ice-penetrating radar. The survey aims to provide scientists around the world, the most accurate prediction to date of the ice and snow thickness. At present, despite the best estimates of submarines and satellites, estimates of polar meltdown vary from 100 years to just 16 years from now, making planning for the catastrophic consequences almost impossible.

Pen is working with scientists to provide a much more accurate estimate of ice thickness, from which they can predict when the ice cap will finally disappear.