Rothschild & Co Asset Management Europe, the asset management division of Rothschild & Co, has joined the Support Committee for the French explorer Jean-Louis Etienne’s new Polar Pod expedition.
Missions: climate and biodiversity
Jean-Louis Etienne’s next expedition will be to the Antarctic, onboard a vessel that will drift in the powerful circumpolar current. This expedition will gather valuable information on polar fauna, krill and whale populations and the Antarctic Ocean’s capacity to absorb polluting carbon gases, allowing scientists to reach more definitive conclusions about its major influence on our environment and future climate.
Tackling the Antarctic Circumpolar Current to discover the mysteries of the Southern Ocean
The Antarctic Circumpolar Current is the marine current of the Southern Ocean flowing from west to east around the South Pole. It is the result of the final separation of Antarctica from South America, which led to a cooling of the climate and the formation of a perennial polar cap. Since then, the Antarctic Circumpolar Current has remained a vital part of our terrestrial ecosystem, keeping Antarctica cool and cold.
But these major players in the climate are not easily approached. Indeed, the Antarctic Circumpolar Current makes it difficult to access the Southern Ocean and its countless mysteries. It drives the winds, unleashes storms (with waves of up to 38 metres high) and keeps sailors and scientists at a distance, thus remaining one of the most misunderstood areas of the globe to this day.
Catching the Antarctic Circumpolar Current wave
From 2023, Jean Louis Etienne's vertical vessel will drift some 24 000 kilometres at an average speed of one knot (1.8 km/h) along the Circumpolar Current to explore the Southern Ocean. Looking like a lighthouse from the top of its 100 metres (of which 80 metres are underwater) and without any motorisation, its two large sails and its thruster will allow it to change direction and avoid icebergs. All of this will be done silently and without carbon emissions, as it is also energy self-sufficient, with six small wind turbines and photovoltaic cells to supply the electricity needed on board.
The future of technology, science and humanity
When designing the revolutionary and ultramodern Polar Pod vessel, Jean-Louis Etienne had to respond to three major requirements from scientists: it had to be cost-effective, eco-friendly and very stable in a stormy ocean that sailors call the ‘Furious Fifties’.
A truly international oceanographic station, the Polar Pod features cutting-edge sensors and measuring instruments to acquire data and observations that will be transmitted to the scientific community worldwide: 43 scientific institutions are involved in the project across 12 countries. This large-scale project will be an important French contribution to UNESCO’s Decade of Ocean Science.
This extraordinary human and scientific adventure will begin in Port Elisabeth, South Africa in December 2023, and will take between one and two years.
A long-term commitment with Polar Pod
To materialise our commitment, we have now signed a five-year sponsorship agreement with Polar Pod. We are taking active steps to move towards a more sustainable economy across our activities, products and services. This is embodied in our ESG approach, with 96% of our open funds emphasising environmental or social factors in their strategy. We are delighted to stand alongside Jean-Louis Etienne on this incredible adventure. Just like our sustainable investment focus, this engagement demonstrates our commitment to support innovative approaches to contribute to a transition to a low-carbon economy.
This sponsorship is part of a range of climate initiatives Rothschild & Co’s Asset Management business is participating in including: the Climate 100+ programme, which aims to convince the biggest greenhouse-gas-emitting companies to take the necessary steps to tackle climate change; launching a range of funds (4Change Climate) combining active “low carbon” management with a dynamic transition strategy; launching the R-co 4Change Green Bonds fund, dedicated to financing energy and ecological transition while seeking to contribute to a diverse range of environmental projects.
