British Antarctic Survey is committed to reaching net zero by 2040 and as part of this commitment, we are improving our reporting for transparency. For the first time, we are publishing our carbon footprint, separately from our parent organisation Natural Environment Research Council (UKRI-NERC), starting with data on emissions from April 2023 to March 2024.
We recently received certification with NERC as ‘taking action’ under the route to Net Zero Standard. As part of the accreditation, the Carbon Trust recommended we publish our annual carbon footprint directly, not only as part of the UKRI-NERC family. We were also successfully assessed in 2024 as a Bronze Carbon Literate organisation by the Carbon Literacy Project, empowering our staff to directly reduce emissions and make change.
As part of UKRI-NERC, we do not purchase carbon offsets. We are focusing on improving our efficiency and reducing our energy demand, along with decreasing emissions across our operations including from travel and the supply chain.
Understanding the different types of carbon emissions using the Greenhouse Gas Protocol
| Type | Definition | BAS example |
| Scope 1 | Direct emissions from owned or controlled sources | Emissions resulting from fuel use in BAS-owned ship, aircraft, stations and vehicles, as well as emissions from cooling and refrigeration. |
| Scope 2 | Indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity | Emissions linked to purchased green electricity from the UK grid. |
| Scope 3 | Indirect emissions from business activity which occur outside of the organisation’s control, such as the supply chain. | Emissions from commercial flights and hotel accommodation, waste disposal, purchased material, chartered vessels and aircraft, and from our Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation Programme. |
BAS total carbon footprint 2023 to 2024
| Type | Emission |
| Scope 1 | 15,771 tCO2e |
| Scope 2 | 36 tCO2e |
| Scope 3 (high-impact, in scope for 2040 target) | 7,561 tCO2e |
| Total 2023-24 emissions (in scope for 2040 net zero target) | 23,368 tCO2e |
| Total 2023-24 (including estimate of all Scope 3 emissions) | 54,549 tCO2e |
Our total carbon footprint for the year 2023 to 2024, including estimates of all Scope 3 emissions, is the equivalent of running 18,876 average UK homes for a year.
Breakdown of BAS Carbon Emissions included in the Net Zero target for 2023 to 2024
British Antarctic Survey’s 2040 Net Zero target includes Scope 1, Scope 2 and high-impact Scope 3 emissions, which for 2023 to 2024 comes to 23,368 tCO2e and is broken down as follows:
Key points on BAS carbon emissions
- Over half of BAS’s measurable carbon emissions (50.57%) is from fuel used in the RRS Sir David Attenborough to deliver world-leading marine science and essential logistics to maintain our Antarctic stations. While fuel used on the ship is mostly Marine Gas Oil (MGO), we are currently trialling a more sustainable fuel, Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO).
- Construction is the second largest contributor (12.86%) and includes greenhouse gases from constructing new Antarctic facilities, such as the new Discovery Building at Rothera Research Station.
- Business travel is the next largest contributor (9.6%), which includes travel to and from Antarctica, along with travel to conferences and events.
- Following business travel, are emissions related to activities of the BAS aircraft (7.25%) which includes a Dash 7 and four Twin Otters delivering science and logistics. These planes are currently run on Aviation Turbine Fuel (Avtur), but we are currently exploring using lower carbon alternatives, such as Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), alongside renewable energy sources.
- Our five Antarctic research stations are powered and heated using a combination of fuels, including MGO, Avtur, petrol, LPG and kerosene.
- At our Cambridge Office, we use green electricity from our solar panels and the grid and natural gas for heating.
Breakdown of BAS full Scope 3 indirect emissions
We are in the process of developing a wider Scope 3 baseline, to prepare us for complete Scope 3 integration to net zero targets. The figure below is based on carbon emissions from best available financial spend data for 2023 to 2024.
Key points on BAS Scope 3 indirect carbon emissions
- Most BAS Scope 3 emissions (72.26%) are from purchased goods and services, including emissions from the entire lifecycle of the products we use (raw materials, production, transportation, disposal).
- Fuels and energy related activities (including extraction, production, and transportation) are the second largest contributor (10.67%).
- Business travel (7.93%) includes flights, rental cars, and public transport.
- Upstream transport and distribution (7.52%), or in simpler terms transportation of goods that we buy, include shipping and freight deliveries to Antarctica via third parties
- Upstream leased assets (0.22%) include emissions associated with assets that BAS rent, such as office space or vehicles.
- BAS staff commuting to the Cambridge HQ accounts for a small percentage of emissions (1.36%).
- UK and Antarctic waste management and disposal accounts for 0.04% of Scope 3 emissions.
Net zero highlights from 2023 to 2024
As part of our journey to net zero, a range of projects were completed in 2023 to 2024:
- Trial of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) on the RRS Sir David Attenborough in 2023 that led to it constituting 1/3 of our ship fuel. All HVO that we use is certified by the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification. However, using HVO may cause issues in the global supply chain and we are currently weighing up the pros and cons of the fuel.
- A new solar and energy storage plant was successfully installed at our Bird Island Research Station in South Georgia in 2024, which is expected to reduce emissions by 50%.
- BAS as an institute of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), is one of the first public sector organisations to be recognised and certified as ‘taking action’ under the Carbon Trust’s Route to Net Zero Standard.
- We were assessed by the Carbon Literacy Project as a Carbon Literate Organisation and over 140 staff have received training on how to reduce carbon emissions at work and at home.
- We were a finalist at the edie awards for Net Zero Strategy of the Year in 2023.
- We collaboration with international colleagues to reduce carbon emissions of science projects. An example is the BIOPOLE programme reduced its carbon emissions by using ships already operating in the Arctic, rather than deploying the RRS Sir David Attenborough.
- We tested Windracers, an uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) in Antarctica that has the potential to reduce our airborne science emissions
- We delivered key feasibility work that will help us decarbonise our Cambridge Headquarters and our Rothera Research Station.
Methodology of carbon reporting
British Antarctic Survey’s (BAS) carbon footprint follows the Greenhouse Gas Protocol and is reported in line with the 2021-2025 Greening Government Commitments and the HM Treasury Sustainability Reporting Guidance.
As part of our net zero reporting, we calculate Scope 1, Scope 2 and high impact Scope 3 emissions such as business travel and construction activities through data we collect across our operations (litres of fuel, hours flying, kg of waste, kg of gas, kWh electricity). Annually, the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero (DESNZ) produces GHG conversion factors in line with the GHG Protocol, which are applied to activity data to calculate our carbon footprint. The conversion factors used correspond to the year covering most of the financial year (April to March).
Wider Scope 3 emissions including purchased goods and services are calculated in line with the GHG Protocol Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) Standard by applying (financial expenditure).
Find out more about our net zero journey
Read about our plans to reach net zero across our operations by 2040.