Government plan to contribute to Arctic concerns

MPS LAUNCH BID TO PROTECT ARCTIC
By Emily Beament, Press Association Environment Correspondent
Climate change must be recognised as an issue when it comes to oil and gas
drilling in the Arctic, MPs said today as they launched an inquiry into
protecting the region.
The parliamentary Environmental Audit Committee will look how climate change
might open the region to new commercial activities, and what the UK Government
can do to protect the fragile wilderness.
The committee said rising global temperatures were melting the Arctic sea ice,
paving the way for a new “oil and gas gold rush” around the North Pole, as
well as opening up shipping routes and new fishing grounds.
But the potential exploitation of the Arctic is set to be highly controversial,
with environmentalists warning about the damage to the region and the climate if
activities such as drilling for new fossil fuel supplies go ahead.
Greenpeace has staged already protests against UK company Cairn Energy, which
has been looking for oil off the coast of Greenland, over concerns an oil spill
would cause major ecological damage to the Arctic and that new sources of fossil
fuels would further push up global carbon emissions.
As he marked the campaign group’s 40th anniversary in the autumn, Greenpeace
UK’s executive director John Sauven said protecting the Arctic from companies
hunting of the “last drops of oil” would be a key future environmental
battle.
Today, the Environmental Audit Committee said that while the UK had no
jurisdiction over the Arctic, the inquiry will look at how the Government could
use its influence through measures such as regulation, incentives and treaties,
to ensure the region’s development was sustainable and took account of climate
change.
The UK has observer status on on the Arctic Council, which is made up of the
eight nations ringing the Arctic, indigenous peoples and a number of observer
states.
Under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the five states around
the North Pole – the US, Canada, Russia, Norway and Denmark, through Greenland –
are able to submit bids for Arctic territory in a process set to begin in
spring.
When the process ends in 2014, successful applicants will gain resource
rights.
Joan Walley, chairwoman of the Environmental Audit Committee, said: “Rising
global temperatures – caused by the burning of fossil fuels – ironically look
set to clear the way for a new oil and gas gold rush in the Arctic.
“We will be looking at what the UK Government can do to ensure that the Arctic
is protected and whether it is even possible to drill for oil and gas safely in
such remote regions.
“Concerns over climate change should be recognised internationally as a
limiting factor on any new oil and gas drilling in the Arctic.”
She added: “How the world deals with its remaining wildernesses will be a
crucial test of our civilisation’s stewardship of the planet in the 21st
century.
“Will we allow a free-for-all in the polar regions of our planet or can we
work together to protect, share and manage these areas responsibly?”
Ruth Davis, chief policy adviser to Greenpeace UK, said: “The reckless rush to
exploit Arctic oil, and the coalition Government’s blind support for it,
urgently need scrutiny.
“The oil industry has done all it can to avoid discussing the safety of
drilling in the most inhospitable conditions on the planet, where a spill would
devastate wildlife and be almost impossible to clean up.
“Hopefully this inquiry will force both the industry and the Government to
face up to the costs and risks of Arctic drilling before they are confronted by
a major spill.”S LAUNCH BID TO PROTECT ARCTIC
By Emily Beament, Press Association Environment Correspondent
Climate change must be recognised as an issue when it comes to oil and gas
drilling in the Arctic, MPs said today as they launched an inquiry into
protecting the region.
The parliamentary Environmental Audit Committee will look how climate change
might open the region to new commercial activities, and what the UK Government
can do to protect the fragile wilderness.
The committee said rising global temperatures were melting the Arctic sea ice,
paving the way for a new “oil and gas gold rush” around the North Pole, as
well as opening up shipping routes and new fishing grounds.
But the potential exploitation of the Arctic is set to be highly controversial,
with environmentalists warning about the damage to the region and the climate if
activities such as drilling for new fossil fuel supplies go ahead.
Greenpeace has staged already protests against UK company Cairn Energy, which
has been looking for oil off the coast of Greenland, over concerns an oil spill
would cause major ecological damage to the Arctic and that new sources of fossil
fuels would further push up global carbon emissions.
As he marked the campaign group’s 40th anniversary in the autumn, Greenpeace
UK’s executive director John Sauven said protecting the Arctic from companies
hunting of the “last drops of oil” would be a key future environmental
battle.
Today, the Environmental Audit Committee said that while the UK had no
jurisdiction over the Arctic, the inquiry will look at how the Government could
use its influence through measures such as regulation, incentives and treaties,
to ensure the region’s development was sustainable and took account of climate
change.
The UK has observer status on on the Arctic Council, which is made up of the
eight nations ringing the Arctic, indigenous peoples and a number of observer
states.
Under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the five states around
the North Pole – the US, Canada, Russia, Norway and Denmark, through Greenland –
are able to submit bids for Arctic territory in a process set to begin in
spring.
When the process ends in 2014, successful applicants will gain resource
rights.
Joan Walley, chairwoman of the Environmental Audit Committee, said: “Rising
global temperatures – caused by the burning of fossil fuels – ironically look
set to clear the way for a new oil and gas gold rush in the Arctic.
“We will be looking at what the UK Government can do to ensure that the Arctic
is protected and whether it is even possible to drill for oil and gas safely in
such remote regions.
“Concerns over climate change should be recognised internationally as a
limiting factor on any new oil and gas drilling in the Arctic.”
She added: “How the world deals with its remaining wildernesses will be a
crucial test of our civilisation’s stewardship of the planet in the 21st
century.
“Will we allow a free-for-all in the polar regions of our planet or can we
work together to protect, share and manage these areas responsibly?”
Ruth Davis, chief policy adviser to Greenpeace UK, said: “The reckless rush to
exploit Arctic oil, and the coalition Government’s blind support for it,
urgently need scrutiny.
“The oil industry has done all it can to avoid discussing the safety of
drilling in the most inhospitable conditions on the planet, where a spill would
devastate wildlife and be almost impossible to clean up.
“Hopefully this inquiry will force both the industry and the Government to
face up to the costs and risks of Arctic drilling before they are confronted by
a major spill.”

– Jim

Location:Home

Occupational Hazard part two

Sometime ago I felt a niggling but sharp pain on and off in my right knee. (How long ago? I’m not sure but at least 10 months.)
Being a sporting type I tried to train through it, believing that whatever it is I can get the old body to adjust and it will settle down. If I ride the pain for long enough it will sort itself……etc. Etc.
Last December as a training exercise with the Ice Warrior Inaccessible Pole team I led them up around the Snowdon Horseshoe and suffered badly on route. Searing pain finally forced me to seek medical advice.
Once again I called on the opinion and expertise of Rakesh Kucheria and within two weeks I had had keyhole surgery to resection a torn cartilage.
A week later I sit here with a smile on my face having just met with conditioning expert, Justin Miles – http://www.justforthechallenge.com/ to plot my return to fitness in readiness for next year’s big expedition. “We can rebuild you” he said “…….now that you’ve repaired the damage!”
Moral of this tale is that we are all human and sometimes we just have to accept that!
– Jim

Location:Home in Winkfield, Windsor

Occupational Hazard – part one

After my Bionic Hip had been inserted

Two years ago last December I finished a meeting with the BBC in White City and crossed the road to catch up with my wife and her mother who I had dangerously left in Westfield Shopping “city”. Wandering about, waiting for them to finish my left hip locked up and became particularly painful. To cut a long story short I felt the need to consult an expert and within a month I had my worn out hip re-surfaced with a metal on metal joint replacing the ball and cup I had worn out pulling heavy sledges over rough terrain and for too much of my life. My consultant, Mr Rakesh Kucheria, called it traumatic osteoarthritis.

He was brilliant and the result, absolutely astonishing. People I meet have no idea that I’m partly bionic – for that matter, I forget, myself!

– Jim

Location:Home in Windsor

A Final Day

Obligatory ski first thing to get the blood flowing and then a theory session in preparation for the immersion familiarisation. Immersion in the sea-ice, that is.
Packed up and fully equipped we made our way to the harbour area in a cold wind and light snow – it was going to be cold!
Unfortunately conditions didn’t favour the exercise at all as we were unable to reach any open water in anything that might be considered a safe way. In fact we’d be lucky to reach it in any way so we had to abandon our plans.
Back to Guesthouse 102 to change and then off to Husset for a super-burger.
The evening was spent discussing and illustrating everything we had done during the week with a talk from me, lubricated by some of Trond’s best red wine.

– Jim

Location:Nybyen, Spitsbergen, Svalbard, Norway

Tranquil Start

The first thing we saw when we opened our eyes was that snow had landed on the roof of the tent. Silence prevailed apart from the various snorts, wriggles and gaseous exchanges of people stealing themselves to tackle the day.
We had camped further up the valley right at the base of Longyearbreen and the snow was still gently falling as we were breakfasting on scrambled eggs with bacon or hot muesli and mango (sounds better than it is, dehydrated and out of a packet!).
having packed away pretty proficiently the guys embarked on their morning sledge haul route.
Afternoon was spent back in the hut going over daily routines, polar tips and tricks and through a full Safety Strategy form top to tail.
A quick sort of the gear and then down to town for a proper meal.

– Jim

Location:Longyearbreen Glacier – 5th Morning

Day Three – Polar Training

And the third day they rose from their pit and ventured out.
Daily ski in the morning, Matt, Justin and Adam making it to the top of the Longyearbreen glacier.
Session on maps, navigation and GPS followed by walkies to discover what information you can gleam and how from your GPS.
Video and slides to illustrate protecting yourself from polar bear encounters (the only land mammal which will actively hunt man) and then their first pulk pull on skis – which proved shockingly difficult slightly uphill at minus 18.
Didn’t go very far but swirling wind made it slightly tricky putting up the big 8 man Marmot Lair tent but although it took 40 minutes it was secured very well.
Turned in after an good feed thanks to Adam and hot drinks from Matt (Justin in full support of both – me hovering and bothering as usual!) Beginning to really gel now as a team!

Day Two – Polar Training

A powerful ski first thing is always good for the soul – and for perfecting the little bits of technique we use for pulling our bodyweight and a half over rough sea-ice!
Then after a good breakfast we dug out all the equipment in the store – pulks, tents, ice axes, shovels, bear protection, ropes and stoves – and got to grips with the MSR XGK multi-fuel stove. Because it is your only means of melting snow and re-hydrating it’s essential that what ever goes wrong and in whatever conditions you can repair it.
After a light lunch we talked through tents, first erecting a Mountain Hardwear Trango 4 followed by an 8 man Marmot Lair.
A dip down into town for a good supper and back up the hill to end the day discussing how to mitigate and manage the risks involved in extreme expeditions. A good time had by all.

The only disappointment has been perfect conditions ): with temperatures hovering around minus 10 degrees, beautifully clear skies and no wind – far too nice for training!
But I’ve ordered some wind for when we’re camping tomorrow night!

– Jim

Location:Nybyen, Svalbard, Norway

 

Location:Svalbard

First Day of Polar Training

Having collected the three chaps Matt, Adam and Justin from the airport at one o’clock in the morning I thought we’d have a bit of a lie in and got stuck into the training after breakfast at a leisurely 10:15hrs.
Bit of getting to know each other and understand each others expectations and aspirations our first session was bringing a polar perspective on clothing and how to get to the stage where you are properly clothed and you can manage that clothing to best effect.
Then we got the skis out, talked through the skis themselves, the bindings and ski poles and got straight out into a calm snow clad valley at minus 8 degrees – perfect learning conditions.
After inputting the few but vital set of techniques which we use to ski efficiently, the session was all about trying to perfect these.
All three of them were downhill skiers so I knew there would be some heavy re-training necessary. Matt was a natural, Adam started slow and unsure but quickly got to grips and Justin was slower but not that far behind.
The session ended down the valley in Longyearbyen with a naughty bun and wonderful, richly deserved cup of hot chocolate.
Quick bit of shopping for a lunches and snacks and then second ski session up the hill to Huset for our supper. This time the wind had got up and was blowing a blizzard right into our faces.
Squeezed in a final bit on risk appreciation to finish the day off.
– Jim

Location:Nybyen, Spitsbergen, Svalbard

 

Location:Nyben, Spitsbergen, Svalbard, Norway

Telling the tale

Having had a bit of a false start in getting the story out there, I’m hoping to redeem myself by revitalising this blog and making best use of it.

Newly equipped with iPad and apps I hope to make this a useful blog for anyone wanting to know anything about modern-day exploration and the life and times of a professional explorer.

Climate Change

During the Copenhagen Summit on climate change I thought I’d put across my view and that shared by our team members.

Firstly, a comment on a talk I gave at Lloyd’s of London for the catering giant Avenance:

“Climate change is one of the great challenges for business and industry currently. Jim gave our city clients an evening that challenged them, in a way that was relevant to the current climate change debate. His presentation was fascinating, engaging and inspirational. The story that led to him becoming an arctic explorer and why he continues with his research expeditions gave his presentation context, made sense of the scientific elements and really made you sit up and think. He demonstrated a resilience and endurance that would have seen most collapse under the strain of travel and performance. The man was a breath of fresh air and gave our audience a sense a being privy to something personal and special. The event was a huge success and the feedback we have received outstanding. We thank Jim and wish him continued success with his Arctic Pole Expedition in 2010.”

Chris Sprague, Managing Director, Avenance