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. Although this ocean is a major contributor to marine biodiversity and the Earth’s climate, it remains little understood due to its remote location and severe climate.
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.
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 (zero emissions thanks to renewable energy) 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.
Rothschild & Co Asset Management Europe makes long-term commitment to Polar Pod
Rothschild & Co Asset Management Europe and Polar Pod have now signed a five-year sponsorship agreement.
“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” explained Pierre Baudard, General Partner and CEO of Rothschild & Co. Asset Management Europe. “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” he added.
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.
