2025 Arctic Report Launched

Remarkable response from national delegations within UN body to proposal from 90 North Foundation

With global ocean biodiversity forecast to be in deep crisis within decades, British polar explorer, Pen Hadow, presented a landmark report this week at the UN International Maritime Organization (IMO) headquarters, the governing body for global shipping. The report provides a comprehensive assessment of the risks facing the biodiversity in the world’s only polar ocean, the Arctic Ocean, with a special focus on the risks posed by future vessel-based activities in the waters surrounding the North Pole as its perennial sea -ice cover recedes due to climate change. The report also offers a possible solution. It makes clear the IMO signatory nations have the option to designate this high seas region as a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA) involving specific restrictions on vessel activity.

Remarkably, six IMO signatory delegations have since approached 90 North Foundation indicating their initial interest in the proposed solution, with further interest anticipated from more nations in the weeks ahead. The next step requires one or more of these nations to investigate the opportunity, with technical and scientific advice provided by 90 North Foundation and other expert bodies, before one or more nations decide to make a formal application for this PSSA through the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC). Once the PSSA is on the MEPC agenda, wider engagement and discussions with IMO delegations will reveal any modifications necessary to the PSSA’s Associated Protective Measures, before a finalised proposal is put to a decisive consensus vote held by MEPC at the IMO HQ in London.

2025 Arctic Report

The report is a product of a collaboration between the marine conservation organisation, 90 North Foundation, and the UN-affiliated research institution, the World Maritime University (WMU). The report warns that the Arctic Ocean, long perceived as remote and inaccessible, is now experiencing a profound environmental, economic, and political transformation. As global greenhouse gas emissions continue to increase, the pause in the retreat of summer sea-ice cover over the last decade, is expected to recommence. Consequently, new international shipping routes and resource extraction opportunities will arise which, if unchecked, will result in unprecedented ecological and cultural threats in the high Arctic.

 According to the report, the Central Arctic Ocean’s high seas region around the North Pole, which is roughly equivalent in area to that of India or Argentina, has had its economic potential widely overstated, particularly for international cargo shipping, commercial fishing and hydrocarbon extraction. Analyses that present the Arctic as a shortcut for global trade or a new frontier for resources often ignore the region’s harsh environmental conditions, complex geophysical constraints, serious ecological vulnerabilities, likely low-level fish stocks, and paucity of hydrocarbon reserves (though some critical minerals may exist in localised pockets).

Pen Hadow, founder and executive director of 90 North Foundation, stated, “As the natural barrier provided by the sea-ice cover recedes, man-made protective measures are now required to restrict deleterious vessel activity in the world’s least-disturbed marine ecosystem. There is now an urgent need to consider Particularly Sensitive Sea Area status for the Central Arctic Ocean’s high seas region to help protect the increasingly vulnerable biodiversity, already stressed by the loss of its sea ice habitat.”

The report highlights that Arctic ecosystems possess unique characteristics: slow recovery rates, highly specialized biodiversity, and extreme seasonal variations. These traits make them exceptionally sensitive to disturbance from industrial activity and climate change.

Indigenous communities—who have sustainably lived in and cared for the Arctic for thousands of years—are among those most at risk. The report outlines the existential pressures these communities face, including threats to food security, cultural continuity, and territorial sovereignty. Industrial-scale operations often proceed without meaningful Indigenous consultation, further exacerbating social and environmental inequities.

Professor Maximo Q. Mejia, Jr, President of the World Maritime University, emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and global engagement saying, “The Arctic is at the forefront of profound transformations driven by climate change, industrial activity, and shifting geopolitical dynamics. The challenges of Arctic governance demand the integration of science, policy, cultural perspectives, and Indigenous knowledge. This report reflects the shared commitment of WMU and the 90 North Foundation to developing forward-looking frameworks that protect fragile Arctic ecosystems while fostering sustainable development.”

 To confront these urgent challenges, the report advocates for the development of a cohesive, adaptive, and science-driven  governance framework for the Arctic Ocean. Central to this vision is the expanded use of tools such as:

• Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas (PSSAs) under the International Maritime Organization

• Ecologically or Biologically Significant Areas (EBSAs)

• Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) under the new Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement

• Enhanced cooperation following the model of the Central Arctic Ocean Fisheries Agreement

 By integrating existing designations with new protective measures, the report outlines a specific pathway for safeguarding the high seas region of the Central Arctic Ocean as a haven for biodiversity, scientific endeavour and peaceful international cooperation. The research was funded by the 90 North Foundation and the report was authored by Antonios (WMU), Dr Graeme Chesters (90 North Foundation), and Prof Dimitrios Dalaklis (WMU).

To access the report, visit: https://commons.wmu.se/lib_reports/92/

Pen Hadow, 90 North Foundation, speaking at IMO General Assembly, London, for launch of the 2025 Arctic Report with WMU

Pen Hadow, 90 North Foundation, speaking at IMO General Assembly, London, for launch of the 2025 Arctic Report with WMU

Oceanographic – A route to salvation: Saving the Central Arctic Ocean

“At the United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, France this week, Oceanographic Columnist Pen Hadow has got one thing on his mind… the development of a North Pole Marine Reserve as a symbol of both sustainability and peace for the global community… and yes, it’s a little personal.”

In his latest column for Oceanographic Magazine, 90 North Foundation’s founder Pen Hadow, presents a call to action ahead of the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC 3). Read the column in full here:

https://oceanographicmagazine.com/features/the-central-arctic-ocean-and-the-route-to-its-salvation/

The Guardian: I fought off a polar bear with a saucepan

Oceanographic – The High Seas – our common heritage and its future

“In his latest column, Arctic explorer Pen Hadow writes about the importance of protecting the High Seas from overexploitation.”

Read the second column by 90 North Foundation’s founder Pen Hadow in full at Oceanographic Magazine:

https://oceanographicmagazine.com/features/pen-hadow-the-high-seas/

Mongabay: We need a North Pole Marine Reserve to secure a healthy future for Arctic waters

• In 2024, the cod fishing moratorium on Newfoundland’s Grand Banks was lifted, 32 years after a historically significant ecological collapse of the fish’s population was caused by overfishing.
• The Central Arctic Ocean Fisheries Agreement signed in 2019 provides an example of how to address the threat from such overfishing by using the precautionary principle, international collaboration and science led evaluations of fish stocks.
• The future health of Arctic marine ecosystems can be secured by establishing a North Pole Marine Reserve, a new op-ed argues.
• This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily Mongabay.

“In the 1990s, a single moratorium announcement wiped out an entire industry, leaving 37,000 people unemployed overnight. The ecological collapse of the Canadian Grand Banks Cod Fisheries is the most famous historical example of a collapse in fish stocks due to overfishing. Not only were cod stocks severely depleted, it was the largest layoff of workers in one day, and the biggest ever industrial layoff in Canada’s history: fishing fleets, processing plants, associated support businesses were all impacted when the moratorium was declared. It devastated coastal communities in Newfoundland and Labrador and led to significant migration, changing some of those communities forever…”

Read the full commentary by our Research Director – Dr Graeme Chesters at Mongabay.com

The Conversation: Why we need to transform the Arctic Ocean into a North Pole marine reserve

“At the most northerly tip of the UK, looking north from the island of Muckle Flugga, Shetland, the cold wind whips up the sea and gannets dive.

While biodiversity loss in the Arctic Ocean may seem like a distant issue, the Shetland Islands lie further north than the Arctic Ocean’s southernmost waters. The Arctic Circle is only 380 miles (610km) north of British waters – the same distance as London to Edinburgh by road.

Arctic wildlife is changing in ways that scientists like us don’t yet fully understand. Better protection for these species is urgently needed.

Establishing a new North Pole marine reserve where industrial activities such as shipping, oil and gas exploration and fishing are banned could provide an ocean sanctuary for wildlife…”

Full article available at – TheConversation.com

BBC Great Lives: Pen Hadow nominates Sir Peter Scott

“Make the boy interested in natural history,” wrote Captain Scott from his tent in the Antarctic. He was talking about his son, three year old Peter Scott, whom he never saw again and who went on to found the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust and campaign against the hunting of whales. The son also designed the panda logo for the Wold Wide Fund for Nature and was its first chairman. David Attenborough called Scott the patron saint of conservation and he appears in this programme. Nominating him in studio is the adventurer Pen Hadow, whose father knew Scott and with whom he shared a nanny. The programme also features two of Scott’s children, Dafila and Falcon, as well as some rarely heard archive.

From his early years as an arctic adventurer, Pen Hadow has developed into an ardent conservationist with the 90 North Foundation. He describes this programme as an enormous responsibility and wonders why Sir Peter Scott, the founder of Slimbridge, is not better known today.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Radio 4 at BBC Sounds.

Oceanographic – The Arctic bug

“Back in 2018, our glorious Oceanographic magazine launched its Issue No 1. Its cover story, written by me was called Saving the Arctic, and subtitled One man’s mission to protect the Arctic Ocean before it’s too late. Supported by Florian Ledoux’s world-class images of polar bears, the article reported on the evolution of my work over 30 years on the Arctic Ocean, since my first experience on its ephemeral sea-ice cover. Now, at the end of 2024, I’m delighted to introduce myself as one of Oceanographic’s new online columnists.”

90 North Foundation’s founder Pen Hadow launches his new column with Oceanographic Magazine. Read column 1 in full here:

https://oceanographicmagazine.com/features/pen-hadow-the-arctic-bug/

Independent – What it’s like to move to where the sun never rises

“In the Arctic and Antarctic circles, months go by where the sun never rises.

But what’s it like living where darkness reigns? Many think that the absence of familiar cues, day-night cycles and exposure to vitamin D must drain residents and throw their routines off balance, but we have spoken to some people who have experienced the opposite.

A photographer, explorer and two Arctic residents have shared their personal experiences of the dark season with us, and have debunked some common misconceptions about it…”

 

The 90 North Foundation team (Executive Director Pen Hadow, and Research Director Graeme Chesters), give their insight into life in the Arctic. Read the full article online at –  The Independent.

Elaine Hayes – Appointment as a Trustee to the Board

We are delighted to confirm the appointment of Elaine Hayes to our Board of Trustees.

Elaine is currently interim chief executive of the Plymouth Sound National Marine Park (the UK’s first such park), and is an environmentalist with a track record of leading nature and conservation organisations. She brings with her a wealth of knowledge and experience working across the charity, government and business sectors, both for wildlife conservation and the marine environment.

Following her Aquatic Resource Management MSc at London University, her career led to her development of UK marine protection legislation through her chairing of the Devon & Severn Inshore Fisheries & Conservation Authority, working alongside politicians, NGOs and fishermen, and previously as chair of Seafish – the Sea Fish Industry Authority.

Oceanographic – Pen Hadow: “Game over for biodiversity” without High Seas Treaty

“Without the High Seas Treaty it’s game over for global marine biodiversity as we know it, writes British explorer Pen Hadow in this op-ed.”

Read the full article at Oceanographic.com

Oceanographic: 90 North Foundation joins the High Seas Alliance

“Arctic Ocean conservation charity 90 North Foundation announces its membership of the High Seas Alliance. Along with 50+ organisations, 90 North Foundation joins the Alliance with the aim of inspiring, informing and engaging the public, decision makers and experts to protect the High Seas.”

Read the full article at oceanographicmagazine.com

Insurance Day – Cold comfort: treaty envisaged to protect Arctic Ocean biodiversity

‘There will be irrefutable financial pressures to make a 6,000-kilometre saving between Shanghai and Rotterdam, by bisecting the high seas at the top of the planet,’ executive director of 90 North Foundation warns

Polar explorer and conservationist Pen Hadow explains why marine re/insurers and P&I clubs need to align their advisory services and business strategies, respectively, with the prevention of risks to biodiversity in the Arctic Ocean.

Catch up on the full article here.

New Scientist – Pen Hadow: Climate change is making my epic Arctic crossing impossible

‘The Arctic Ocean I trekked across 21 years ago is melting fast, becoming a potential shipping super-highway. That should worry us all, says the explorer and ocean conservationist’

By Pen Hadow.

Catch up on the full article at NewScientist.com.

The Herald: Scottish winters taught polar hero to handle the cold – now he wants to save the ice

90 North Foundation join INIGO at Frameless

Last week, our Executive Director Pen Hadow joined our Founding Partner Inigo for a special event held at the renowned Frameless Gallery in Marble Arch, London.

Inigo was hosting a special presentation of 90 North Foundation’s captivating photographic exhibition ‘An Ocean Revealed’.

The exhibiton was nothing short of extraordinary, utilising Frameless Gallery’s cutting-edge image projection facilities to create an arresting visual experience with images captured by some of the world’s leading Arctic wildlife photographers.

As the first corporate partner to embrace and support our vision and work, Inigo has played an instrumental role in fuelling our mission. Not only has it contributed significant funds towards covering our annual operating costs, but it continually seeks out new avenues to aid our development and projects in different ways.

On behalf of all at 90 North Foundation, we extend our thanks to all at Inigo for their unwavering support to help us ‘surface the science’. We are excited for the future ahead.

Appointment of Research Director – Dr Graeme Chesters FRSA, FRGS

Dr Graeme Chesters has joined 90 North Foundation to build and guide our research strategy, capacity, outputs and impact, primarily through the Arctic Ocean Research Unit developed in partnership with the University of Exeter. He will also be developing an international scientific research network focused on the Arctic Ocean/Central Arctic Ocean.

Dr Chesters, was formerly an Associate Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies, and Director of the International Centre for Participation Studies (University of Bradford); and has taught conflict resolution, mediation and peace keeping techniques to politicians, diplomats, journalists and aid workers from around the world.

More recently, Graeme has been following his passion for photography, writing and research about the polar regions. This led to him becoming a multi-award winning and internationally exhibited photographer whose work, documenting the High Arctic and its peoples (Alaska, Greenland, Iceland, Svalbard), resulted in an invitation to become Artist in Residence at the Spitsbergen Artist Centre, on Svalbard in 2022. His subsequent 2023 exhibition in Longyearbyen on Spitsbergen, ‘Svalbard People’, was the northernmost photographic exhibition in the world.

Graeme was the recipient of the 2020 AP Magazine and MPB Inaugural ‘Rising Star’ Award for his work documenting change in the high Arctic, and he is a certified Marine Mammal Surveyor with the cetacean charity, ORCA. In summary, Graeme brings a rare blend of research experience, expertise in effecting change, and a fast-expanding knowledge of the high Arctic.

Grant Awarded by The Fishmongers’ Company’s Fisheries Charitable Trust

90 North Foundation is delighted to receive a grant from The Fishmongers’ Company through its Fisheries Charitable Trust.

The grant reflects recognition by the Fisheries Charitable Trust that fishery management of the world’s international waters is becoming an increasingly urgent priority as nations seek to manage often dwindling fish stocks within their respective national territorial waters.

Its support of 90NF breaks new ground with its support of an ocean conservation charity seeking to safeguard biodiversity within international waters, in this case those of the Central Arctic Ocean.

For 700 years The Fishmongers’ Company, one of the oldest Livery Companies of the City of London, has stood on the banks of the River Thames playing a leading role in upholding the standards in the trading of fish and shellfish – a role it continues today, as well as making a significant contribution to the UK fishing sector and other non-fishery areas through its philanthropy, grants and projects with industry, government, academia, non-governmental and third-sector organisations.

Special Advisory Panel – Hanna Kujala

We are delighted to announce Hanna (Finland) has agreed to become a Special Advisor to 90 North Foundation. Hanna is a Master Mariner and Associate Fellow of the Nautical Institute, with considerable experience as a Captain with Arctia Icebreaking Ltd, the Finnish state-owned company, operating in the Gulf of Bothnia and in NE Canadian waters, She is also an Ice Navigator with Martech Polar Consulting.

She holds a Masters in ‘Maritime Management’ from the Satakunta University of Applied Sciences (2017-19), and a ‘Master Mariner’ Batchelor degree from XAMK South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences (1993-97). 

Special Advisory Panel – Capt David ‘Duke’ Snider

We are delighted to announce Duke (USA) has agreed to become a Special Advisor to 90 North Foundation. As one of the world’s foremost ice pilots, he’s a Master Mariner with over 30 years at sea operating naval, commercial and coast guard vessels. Coincident with full-time employment in the Canadian Coast Guard, culminating as Regional Director Fleet (Western Region), he established his own consultancy, Martech Polar Consultants, providing polar shipping and ice-navigation training as well as hands-on navigation expertise. MPC was recognized in the Shipping Industry’s Awards as the “Best” Polar Ice Pilotage and Navigation Specialists (2018 & 2019). 

Along with his book Polar Ship Operations, which has become a standard textbook for ice-navigator training, he has written many other papers on ice navigation. He holds a Bachelor of Maritime Studies degree granted by Memorial University of Newfoundland (2006); and was awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal (2011), the Canada-Finland Medal for his accomplishments in the development and practice of ice-navigating standards, and Canada’s Admiral’s Medal (2023) “for competence and expertise in ice navigation, contributing significantly to the safety of shipping in Canada’s far North”. 

Duke was instrumental in the establishment of the NI Ice Navigator qualification, and incorporation of similar requirements in the IMO Polar Code; and he continues to be active in Polar Code discussions at the UN International Maritime Organization today.

Keynote Address to Marine Insurance Nordics Conference (MIN) – Oslo

90 North Foundation’s Executive Director, Pen Hadow, addressed the plenary session of MIN’s annual conference about the future of the Arctic Ocean’s biodiversity in the context of the insurance industry’s role with future shipping in the region and the ESG Agenda of insurers.

90NF thanks the conference’s organisers, Daniel and Amanda Creasey, for inviting us to present to their invited audience – the largest to date.

Special Advisory Panel – Professor Alla Pozdnakova

We are delighted to announce Alla (Latvia) has agreed to become a Special Advisor to 90 North Foundation. She is based at the Scandinavian Institute of Maritime Law (Oslo), and her research interests include various aspects of the international legal regime(s) governing the global commons, especially high seas/international waters and outer space. Together with a team of authors, she is currently editing a volume Topical Legal Issues in the Arctic, Brill (2023/2024). 

In her teaching role, Alla’s subjects include: LLM Maritime Law; LLM Public International Law (Arctic and Antarctic); and A Changing Arctic.

Her other responsibilities include: Vice-Dean for International Relations (Scandinavian Institute of Maritime Law); co-editor, Oslo Law Review; board member, Norwegian Society of International Law; member, Expert Committee for Space Law (Norway); and member, Northern Areas Committee (University of Oslo).

Partnership with Open Planet to Create the World’s First Free-To-Use Arctic Marine Film Bank

90 North Foundation is excited to announce it has become one of Open Planet’s partners to create the Arctic Marine Film Bank component for the first globally-accessible, free-to-use, environmental and social film archive.

The fast-growing library, launched in September 2023, features powerful footage and data-led visuals produced exclusively for Open Planet, as well as incredible cinematography contributed by world-leading filmmakers and producers, helping to build the most comprehensive free library of climate and nature footage in history.

Launched globally in 2024, Open Planet aims to revolutionise the way we can tell stories about our changing planet by enabling everyone, everywhere, access to high-quality, scientifically accurate footage – free-to-use for educational, environmental and impact storytelling. This unprecedented storytelling tool-kit will support change-makers, educators, content creators, organisations and decision-makers to tell stories that will drive the changes needed in the next decade.

Studio Silverback is making world-class environmental footage freely available to content creators all over the world. We have worked in collaboration with a global network of industry-leading experts, and in partnership with Carnegie Mellon University’s CREATE Lab, creators of interactive, data-driven stories about our planet using the EarthTime platform, to create Open Planet.

Colin Butfield, Executive Director of Studio Silverback and Director of Open Planet, said: “As filmmakers, we know stories can be powerful agents of change, and with the window for action rapidly closing to address the planetary emergency, there’s never been a greater need for compelling, authentic storytelling. Open Planet will not only present the causes and impacts of climate change and nature loss, but also the incredible ingenuity of those driving innovation to keep crucial sustainability targets within reach.”  

Studio Silverback, famed for its production of many of the world’s best-loved natural history documentary series for the likes of the BBC, Netflix, Discovery, and NatGeo, is behind the setting up of Open Planet (Community Interest Company No 14222687). See https://www.openplanet.org/

Keynote Address to International Union of Marine Insurers (IUMI) – Edinburgh

90 North Foundation’s Executive Director, Pen Hadow, addressed the plenary session of IUMI’s annual global conference about the future of the Arctic Ocean’s biodiversity in the context of the insurance industry’s role with future shipping in the region and their ESG Agenda.

90NF thanks the conference hosts, Neil Roberts (Lloyd’s Market Association, LMA) and Dave Matcham (International Underwriting Association, IUA), for their kind invitation to the event.

90NF was also kindly granted permission to stage its international photographic exhibition, Arctic Ocean Biodiversity, sponsored by global specialty insurer and reinsurer, Inigo. The exhibition was very well received by the organisers and many conference delegates.

Special Advisory Panel – Jamie Buchanan-Dunlop

We are delighted to announce Jamie (UK) has agreed to become a Special Advisor to 90 North Foundation. He is the Managing Director of the award-winning Encounter Edu which produces teachers’ educational resources for English-speaking pupils aged 5-14 years old.

Encounter Edu has developed an educational ‘theory of change’ with UNESCO. This methodology supports audiences to move from knowledge and awareness to active engagement and behavioural change. Encounter Edu developed the acclaimed ‘Frozen Ocean’ suite of educational resources. It was used by an estimated 240,000 pupils over the last 12 months. For more information please see: https://encounteredu.com/about

Inigo Sponsors Our International Photographic Exhibition, An Ocean Revealed – Arctic Ocean Biodiversity

One of 90 North Foundation’s early phase assets was to be a portable photographic exhibition which showcased the spectacular biodiversity of the Arctic Ocean. The exhibition is designed to be able to be moved around the UK, and set-up and taken down, with relative ease.

90NF worked closely with the freelance picture editor, Joe Plimmer, to oversee the sourcing of hundreds of images for selection, with photographers contributing from across the Arctic region – x27 images were chosen.

We also worked with Duncan Dick (Devil’s Ivy Creative) to plan their presentation, using super-high quality photo-materials, recyclable A1 and A2-sized mounting boards, and easels.

Subjects ranged from the Arctic’s familiar charismatic marine mega-fauna like polar bear, bowhead whale and walrus … to the less well-known actors in this unique ecosystem’s food web like skeleton shrimps, sea butterfly and phytoplankton.

The Guardian: The desperate race to create a protection zone around the rapidly melting Arctic

When the Arctic explorer Pen Hadow had to start swimming from ice floe to ice floe, rather than walking, he experienced for himself what scientists and Indigenous peoples of the north have long known: the floating sea ice, which used to reliably cover the Arctic Ocean for most of the year, is disappearing.

Read full article here.

Special Advisory Panel – Professor David Johnson

We are delighted to announce David (UK) has agreed to become a Special Advisor to 90 North Foundation. Previously Executive Secretary to the OFSPAR Commission, the international convention for the environmental protection of the North-East Atlantic, he brings a wealth of experience in the protection of biodiversity in high seas/international waters.

David’s reports have included recommendations for the establishment of the world’s first network of marine protected areas in Area Beyond National Jurisdiction (2010/2012); and he has convened Ministerial meetings for both the OSPAR Commission and the Bonn Agreement, moderated sessions for both the United Nations Environment Programme and the Convention on Biological Diversity, and has presented at many high-level meetings including the UN Working Group, Preparatory Committee and subsequent Intergovernmental Conferences on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction. He has also successfully concluded and operationalised partnership arrangements between OSPAR and the North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission, the UN International Maritime Organization and the International Seabed Authority. 

He is currently: a registered expert with GESAMP (the group of independent scientific experts that provides advice to the UN system on scientific aspects of marine environmental protection); is a Visiting Professor at the World Maritime University in Sweden; is the Coordinator for the Global Ocean Biodiversity Initiative (GOBI); and leads the science-policy interface work in the EU ATLAS Project.

Inigo Announces Partnership with 90 North Foundation

(London, 12 July 2023): Inigo Limited (“Inigo”) is delighted to announce a strategic partnership with the 90 North Foundation, the conservation non-profit dedicated to safeguarding the biodiversity, marine habitat, and ecosystem services of the Central Arctic Ocean which surrounds the North Pole. In keeping with Inigo’s underlining principle of surfacing the science, Inigo is supporting the academic research to understand the impacts and risks associated with future surface vessel activity in the area. 90 North Foundation’s objective is to minimise the risks to the vulnerable biodiversity of these international waters, as the receding sea ice results in a newly accessible ocean.

Despite the Arctic Ocean being the world’s smallest ocean, it covers 14 million square kilometres, comparable in size to Antarctica, and encompasses over 10% of the northern hemisphere’s marine environment. However, climate change has led to a significant decline in sea ice, shrinking at a rate of 12.6% per decade since 1980. This presents new commercial opportunities for the shipping industry but also poses severe consequences for the rapidly changing marine ecosystem, which is among the world’s least disturbed.

The partnership aims to fulfil 90 North Foundation’s mission of establishing the North Pole Marine Reserve. The delivery of this ambitious plan will be supported by data, analysis, and insights from scientific research programs inspired or funded by the 90 North Foundation.

Inigo, with expertise in underwriting and a strong advocacy for preventative measures against climate change-induced catastrophes, will employ its experiences, relationships, and understanding of risk within the insurance and shipping sector to encourage business practices that are more sustainable and less harmful to the marine ecosystem in the area. In addition to undertaking a key role in providing strategic research and raising awareness amongst key stakeholders, Inigo will also provide guidance in proposing working regulatory frameworks.

James Power, Head of Marine & Energy of Inigo said: “We are thrilled to announce our partnership with 90 North Foundation, furthering our commitment to sustainable practices and advocacy. Together we hope to bridge the knowledge gap between the shipping industry’s potential impacts and the vulnerability of the Arctic Ocean’s marine ecosystem.”

Pen Hadow, Founder and Executive Director of 90 North Foundation said: “The 90 North Foundation welcomes Inigo’s support in protecting the Arctic Ocean’s marine biodiversity. The international waters of the Central Arctic Ocean remain one of the world’s least explored and researched areas. However, together, we hope to raise awareness of the risks of future, unregulated shipping routes, unmanaged commercial fishing areas, and damaging seabed mining activities, and foster the key research to provide the best conservation measures.”

UN High Seas Treaty Symposium: From Negotiation to Implementation – Edinburgh

Executive Director, Pen Hadow, attended the two day symposium, attended by x600 delegates, which revealed the administrative challenges ahead for the Secretariat to the Treaty (aka UN Convention on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction).

It was revealed that since UN member nations could sign the convention on 21 Sept 2023 over 80 had already signed, thus passing the minimum required number of 65 signatories. Now all signatories need to ratify their commitment with their individual home parliaments. Once at least 65 such parliaments have endorsed their representatives signatures by 21 Sept 2028, the Treaty will immediately come into force.

90NF is deeply appreciative of the efforts made by the event’s Organising Committee to make it possible for us to attend – and to be actively introduced to so many individuals and organisations working closely on the development of the Treaty.

Additionally, 90NF was kindly granted permission to stage its international photographic exhibition, An Ocean Revealed – Arctic Ocean Biodiversity, sponsored by global specialty insurer and reinsurer, Inigo.

Special Advisory Panel – Peter Webb

We are delighted to announce Peter (UK) has agreed to become a Special Advisor to 90 North Foundation. He now combines his work as an independent consultant on policy, strategy and advocacy on energy, finance and climate, together with being a visiting OIES-KAPSARC Research Fellow (Oxford Institute for Energy Studies/King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center), currently working on carbon markets and sequestration.

He has almost three decades of experience working across both the traditional (oil and gas, refining, oil products marketing) and new energies (low carbon energy solutions) supply chains. He worked first with Schlumberger (now SLB) as a downhole wire-line engineer, and then with Shell International in mostly downstream finance and commercial roles, before moving into government relations, policy and advocacy and the area of climate finance from the real economy perspective.

In that capacity he joined a team collaborating with the China Government DRC looking at future energy systems for China and led the international work for two chapters: the first on international governance, the second on financing infrastructure. Peter also worked for two years in the UK Government Department DESNZ (then known as DECC, the Department of Energy and Climate Change) building the evidence base for the UK government’s ‘refining and importing strategy framework’.

Shackleton Medal Awarded to Pen Hadow

90 North Foundation – FORE Partnership announcement

Special Advisory Panel – Di Gilpin

We are delighted to announce Di (UK) has agreed to become a Special Advisor to 90 North Foundation. Di Gilpin is the founder and CEO of the Smart Green Shipping Alliance (SGSA) – a collaborative industry initiative created to build technically, commercially and environmentally superior systems solutions for the shipping sector.

To this end, the SGSA has brought together experts from 170 countries with the aim for all shipping reaching the UK to be powered by renewable energy by 2030, ahead of the shipping industry’s target of 50% by 2050. Its approach involves accelerating projects through co-creation – transferring technology and knowledge from offshore yacht racing, Formula One, renewable energy, aviation and defence – to complement commercial maritime expertise.

Di also sits on the UK Department for Transport’s Clean Maritime Council and the EU’s Waterborne Green Shipping Expert Group. She was also recently included in BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour programme’s ‘Power List’.

Launch of £30m Central Arctic Ocean (Biodiversity) Research Programme

On 5 September 2022 we launched the first funding round for the world’s first research programme focused exclusively on the biodiversity, ecosystem and ecosystem services of the Central Arctic Ocean surrounding the North Pole.

The target is to secure £3.5m per year as soon as possible for the next eight years to deliver a £30m research effort by 2030. And why the hurry? Because we’re seriously running out of time to protect marine biodiversity in international waters.

This research is mission critical to providing the evidence underpinning the merit of protecting the region, as no conservation status will be agreed by the international community without such evidence.

Initially, the research will be undertaken exclusively through the Central Arctic Ocean Research Unit based at the University of Exeter. With a professorial chair established, s/he will develop a multi-disciplinary international research programme involving researchers from around the world.

Special Advisory Panel

Prof Dan Laffoley (Bt), previously the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN’s) Principal Advisor to the UN Global & Polar Oceans Conservation Programme, has kindly made his expertise available throughout the formative phase of the 90 North Foundation. We are honoured and absolutely delighted Prof Laffoley has confirmed his acceptance to become the first advisor on the Foundation’s Special Advisory Panel.

Laffoley is a well-respected leading global expert on ocean conservation, and is currently Emeritus Marine Vice Chair of the (IUCN)’s World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA). He also chairs the Hope Spot Council, and is an Emeritus Board Member of Mission Blue. In March 2021 Dan was awarded the Fred Packard Award by IUCN and WCPA in recognition of having dedicated his life and career to conservation, and especially as an outstanding and inspiring figure in global marine protected areas.

Prior to these appointments and up until 2022 Dan was Principal Advisor, Marine Science and Conservation for the IUCN’s Global Marine & Polar Programme, and held the global honorary role as Marine Vice Chair for the WCPA for 17 years, providing a world-wide lead on ocean protection. For over 35 years Dan has been responsible for the creation of many national, European and global partnerships and alliances that underpin modern-day marine conservation. He served as chief scientific advisor for the marine environment in Natural England, for over a decade headed-up the marine conservation programme for English Nature and has also worked in a variety of other roles including special marine environmental advisor for the Prime Minister Tony Blair’s Strategy Unit, and for the European Commission.

Formation of the Central Arctic Ocean Research Unit

Prof Brendan Godley, (previously the University of Exeter’s Director of the Centre for Ecology & Conservation) set in motion the next step in the University of Exeter’s collaboration with the 90 North Foundation by securing approval to set up a specific unit, the Central Arctic Ocean Research Unit, to deliver the research. Some of its researchers will be based in the University’s stunning new Stella Turk Building (see above).

Within weeks over 30 scientists from several of the University’s faculties had responded to his notification of its formation, each offering to deliver research through our new research unit. Since then, fifteen professors and researchers have submitted research projects under the seven research themes: Changing Oceanography; Ecosystem; Habitats; Biodiversity; Ecosystem Services; Emerging Impacts & Threats; and Governance & Conservation Policy.

10% For The Ocean

10% for the Ocean acknowledges the potential of 90NF’s vision and its work to date by awarding a follow-up unrestricted grant of double the previous year’s. As 90NF continues to put in place the foundations for its future development, such generously-given support is greatly appreciated.

90NF is now better placed to return this support – and we look forward to doing so as a member of 10% for the Ocean’s growing community of ocean conservation organisations.    

Speech at UNFCCC COP26 (Green Zone)

Savills plc hosted an event in the Green Zone of COP26 (Glasgow) focused on the urgency for owners to strive to reach net carbon zero for their built and rural estates.

Savills is highly focused on this issue with its in-house team of over 120 sustainability experts working within its Savills Earth facility. One of the contributors to their COP26 event was Pen Hadow who gave a talk about the world’s fastest changing environment, the Central Arctic Ocean, and the existential threats this was causing not only to the region’s wildlife and the ecosystem services it provides, but to the UK and the wider global community. The video recording of the talk, made available on Savills’ online channel, received its highest recorded viewership – and inspired a number of organisation’s to approach Savills for an introduction to the 90 North Foundation.

First Corporate Supporter – Polar Capital

Within weeks of its registration as a charity in May 2021, the Foundation has reached out to Polar Capital, an early corporate supporter of Pen Hadow’s Catlin Arctic Survey in 2009. The management team swiftly decided to support the vision and work of the nascent 90 North Foundation. However the consequences of COVID-19 throughout the UK economy has delayed the launch of the Foundation’s first major initiative, its Central Arctic Ocean biodiversity research programme, by one year to mid-2022. So the Foundation is especially appreciative of Polar Capital’s patience as we get underway.

NB. Catlin Arctic Survey was undertaking sea-ice thickness measurements, working with Prof Peter Wadhams (Dept of Applied Mathematics & Theoretical Physics, Cambridge University) to assess the volume of sea-ice cover on the Arctic Ocean, and thereby fine-tune forecasts for sea-ice loss.

10% For The Ocean

10% for the Ocean, the global initiative dedicated to safeguarding our plant’s most vital resource, the ocean, has awarded a grant in support 90 North Foundation’s pioneering work during the COVID-19 epidemic; for which 90NF is intensely appreciative in these challenging times.

As a non-profit foundation 10% for the Ocean serves as a critical gateway for individuals, businesses, NGOs, and trusts to support ocean conservation efforts around the world by dedicating to it 10% of their charitable giving.

10% channels every donation into its global network of Ocean Recovery Partners, empowering a global alliance of local organisations. 10% also funds and advocates for initiatives that drive positive and equitable change, ensuring the protection, recovery and support of our global ocean.

Its vision is of a future where the oceans are not just surviving but thriving. A world where the diversity of marine life is preserved for future generations, and sustainable practices ensure the resilience of marine ecosystems. A world where a global community of ocean-focused local non-profits work together towards the common goal of ensuring the health and vitality of our seas.

Collaboration with University of Exeter

Prof Sir Steve Smith, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Exeter, hosted one of the University’s alumni events in London when he heard Pen Hadow (holder of an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from the University), speak about his vision for the 90 North Foundation. Just three weeks later Sir Steve set up a meeting for Hadow with his senior management team to agree how they could provide research support. It was agreed a number of research posts, including a professorial chair, doctorates (PhDs) and Masters of Research, would be offered to the Foundation up to 40% below the full economic cost to the University, if the Foundation could secure the balance for each post.

It was Sir Steve’s leadership that proved critical. On realising the University’s vision to build its marine research capability to solve real world issues was closely aligned with the 90 North Foundation’s vision to undertake research to build the case for conservation of the Central Arctic Ocean, he inspired the start of our collaboration. His successor, Prof Lisa Roberts, wrote of her support of the collaboration as recently as July 2022.

University of Exeter is considered a world leader in ecology (11th, Shanghai Global Ranking 2023) with over 400 researchers working on marine topics.