Antarctic
75 years after Ramboll became the first sustainable society consultant, the focus of our future legacy is to help build a climate resilient future for all. To help and inspire our employees to lead sustainable lifestyles, we heard from polar explorer Robert Swan about his journey to the South Pole using solely renewable energy.
Inspired by Robert’s efforts to clean and promote the interests of the Antarctic, Ramboll’s Graduate and Apprentice Network are leading the 7th Continent Challenge, a charity walking event to raise awareness of the importance of personal accountability when it comes to sustainability and properly caring for our environment.
Between mid-February and the end of March 2021, participants in the 7th Continent Challenge will collectively travel the equivalent of the 600-mile journey that Robert Swan undertook to reach the South Pole. All donations raised go to Sport in Mind and UK Antarctic Heritage Trust.
The walking challengers will photographically document their journeys, capturing examples of sustainability in action or ways we can improve caring for our environment.
David MacRae, fundraising organiser and graduate engineer said“We hope that this event supports and promotes two main things. First is improving mental health through exercise and team spirit. Finding the motivation to get outside for exercise or a walk is especially difficult with lockdown and the winter weather, but it’s vital for both our mental and physical health. We may be travelling separately, but we'll still be together!
The second is to promote sustainability in action and encourage behavioural change. We each have a responsibility when it comes to sustainable living and caring for our environment. The photo series will give us a snapshot of the current challenges and solutions in local communities across the UK to help inspire new attitudes and behaviours.”
The world is facing a climate emergency. A new study published by the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) just this summer underlines the scale of the challenge: it supports predictions that the Arctic could be free of sea ice as soon as 2035. This prospect should be focusing our minds on achieving a low-carbon world as soon as is feasible. Read more in our Ingenuity article here.
Appointed by NERC as Technical Advisors to BAS (British Antarctic Survey), Ramboll is providing specialist engineering and consultancy services for seven years. Delivering a host of projects within the Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation Programme (AIMP), BAS and its Technical Advisors (including NORR Architects and Turner & Townsend) are preparing for one of the world’s most advanced Polar research ships - the RRS Sir David Attenborough.