White Desert Environment and Sustainability Policy
White Desert is committed to the protection of the environment in Antarctica. We take steps to reduce our environmental footprint, protect Antarctic wildlife and landscape, respect and support Antarctic science; the intrinsic values of Antarctica. Our camps are designed to be temporary and can be dismantled without a footprint in Antarctica. We ensure our activities have a less than minor or transitory impact by following environmental mitigation measures set out in our IEEs, preparing Environmental Management Plans which take these mitigation measures into account and carrying out environmental monitoring. We strive to be an innovator and sector leader in environmental management and sustainability in Antarctica.
Annual Environmental and Sustainability Monitoring
We carry out environmental monitoring each season in order to monitor environmental compliance, sustainability performance and enable us to continually improve. This ensures that our activities have a less than minor or transitory impact.
We have an Annual Environmental and Sustainability Monitoring and Reporting Programme in Antarctica which includes:
- Independent Environmental Inspections
- Environmental Management Plan Checklists
- Air Quality Monitoring
- Waste Management and Monitoring
- Fuel Use Monitoring
- Water Use Monitoring
- Annual Carbon Monitoring and Reporting, Reduction and Off-setting Programme
- Renewable Energy Initiatives
You can find out more about some of our latest findings in the latest White Desert Annual Environmental and Sustainability Monitoring Report.
An independent environmental and permit inspection was most recently carried out in January 2023, in accordance with the Antarctic Protocol, the White Desert Antarctic permit as well as IAATO requirements. This is in addition to the White Desert Environmental Management Plan Checklists completed internally.
All recommended actions and findings were addressed in Antarctica at the time where practical.
Additional actions for continual improvement have been assigned to the relevant White Desert team members to be taken forward in the 2023-2024 season. The findings have also been used to update the White Desert Environmental Management Plans accordingly.
In January 2019, an Antarctic Permit inspection was carried out by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office as well as IAATO.
White Desert carries out fuel use monitoring for all activities. This enables us to prepare an annual carbon or Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions report which is carried out in accordance with the Carbon Neutral Protocol, a global standard for carbon neutral programmes.
As an aviation based tourism and logistics company, aviation continues to represent the main fuel consumption for White Desert (90%).
The majority (over 73%) of fuel use is for the inter-continental flights between Cape Town and Antarctica. This is followed by the internal flights within Antarctica with (17%).
Aviation will continue to be the main area where significant reductions will be made through improvements in efficiency as well as the use of SAF.
Even though plant and vehicles represent a lower percentage of fuel use and carbon emissions, it is also important to consider mobile and stationary sources of emissions such as generators and skidoos with the use of efficient plant and equipment to reduce impacts on local air quality.
Please read our Carbon Footprint Report, 2021- 2022 season, in line with Carbon Neutral Protocol.
GHG footprint Report White Desert 2021-2022-
Science Support
At the heart of White Desert’s mission is the desire to create a positive impact on Antarctica’s future through its tourism and science logistics programmes.
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Operational Areas
White Desert's operational areas include deep field camps, fuel depot, Atka Bay and Wolf's Fang Runway. Discover the terrain and unique fauna that inhabit each environment.
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Environmental Governance
With 18 years of operational experience in Antarctica, we have an in depth understanding of what is truly required to preserve Antarctica’s environmental equilibrium.