Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
Recommendation 14
14
Accepted in Part
Expand UK research on Antarctic glaciers and ice sheets for sea level rise projections.
Conclusion
The accelerated melting of Antarctic ice is becoming one of the most significant drivers of global sea level rise, which poses an increasing threat to coastal communities worldwide, including in the UK. To enhance the accuracy of sea level rise projections and develop more effective climate adaptation and risk management strategies, it is imperative for the UK to significantly expand its research efforts in Antarctica. This should include targeted studies on glaciers and ice sheets, focusing on their current and future contributions to sea level rise. The data derived from these research efforts should inform the formulation of the Government’s policies and protective measures for vulnerable UK coastal areas and provide a scientific foundation for long-term adaptation strategies. (Recommendation, Paragraph 100)
Government Response Summary
The government partially accepts, acknowledging the importance of research and existing efforts, but states that any significant expansion of Antarctic research would depend on future budget allocations and other R&D priorities.
Government Response
Accepted in Part
HM Government
Accepted in Part
The Government partially accepts this recommendation. 12. The Antarctic environment is changing more rapidly than expected. Over the past few years significant changes have been observed in Antarctica, including the reduction in sea ice extent, loss of ice and extreme heat waves over the continent. These all impact not only on local Antarctic environments but also on global climate systems. 13. Understanding the links between land ice, sea ice, ocean and atmosphere is important to understand the rate and impact of sea level rise on global coastlines. This was the focus of the NERC/National Science Foundation (United States) joint International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration, which resulted in confirmation that warm ocean water is melting the Thwaites ice shelf from below, and threatening the disintegration of the Thwaites glacier, and ultimately the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. 14. This continues to be a major focus for polar research and the UK is currently involved in several major projects to understand the response of the cryosphere to warming climates, including in Antarctica (DEFIANT project on sea-ice and its links to climate and ecosystems), the Arctic (a new ARIA-funded Greenland ice sheet project and its links to European climates) and projects in other regions of Antarctica with other nations (SWAIS2C in the Ross Ice Shelf region). 15. Cryosphere research is one of BAS’s major strategic science themes, which aims to deliver high quality polar research that allows evidence-based decisions on how to mitigate and adapt to threats to coastal societies and key infrastructure. BAS scientists lead international programmes on ice loss, providing fundamental data and knowledge needed to improve sea level models. 16. Through the Marine Climate Change Impacts Partnership (MCCIP) the Government is further improving our understanding of the impact of climate change. MCCIP engages with a wide range of scientific authors to supply policy makers and the public with updates on the current and predicted impacts of climate change. The 2020 MCCIP report “Impacts of climate change on sea-level rise relevant to the coastal and marine environment around the UK” sets out key challenges and emerging issues, such as the need to better quantify and constrain high-end scenarios for sea level rise, including through a better understanding of dynamic ice processes. 17. Defra invests in the Environment Agency’s National Flood Risk Assessment (NaFRA) database to provide up to date information on the risk of flooding from rivers and sea which includes the potential impact of climate change on flood risk. This flood risk information takes into account anticipated change for predicted sea level rise. The National Coastal Erosion Risk Map, published in January 2025, provides the most up to date national picture of coastal erosion risk for England. This data, along with outcomes from research and development projects through the Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Research and Development Programme, feeds into policy decisions regarding adapting to coastal change. 18. Any expansion of Antarctic research efforts would need to be considered in the context of other R&D priorities and would depend on future budget allocations.