Recommendation 60

We recommend that the Natural Environment Research Council and UK Research and Innovation establish dedicated funding mechanisms to support transformative Antarctic research, with substantial time commitments extending to at least ten years for large-scale projects. The current reliance on short-term funding cycles (typically three to five years) is ill-suited to the logistical realities of Antarctic research and contributes to inefficiencies. Longer funding horizons would not only improve the delivery of complex science programmes but would also make better use of infrastructure and personnel, reducing waste and increasing impact. (Recommendation, Paragraph 261)