BAS Strategy: 2024-2034
Our planet is changing faster than we thought. Sea levels are rising, sea ice is melting and the polar oceans are warming. These changes have impacts across our whole planet, with rising sea levels threatening one billion people living in coastal regions by 2050 and contributing to extreme weather events.
The new BAS strategy faces this challenge to decrease our carbon budget and live and work more sustainably whilst ensuring that we are prepared in all other respects to deliver polar science and operations in the future. Our 10-year strategy recognises nine key themes where we know we want and need to drive change.
Our vision:
We aspire to be a world-leading centre for polar science, addressing issues of global importance and helping society adapt to a changing world.
Our priorities for change
Digital innovation and technology
Our challenge: integrate all areas of technology to unlock new science and new ways to deliver polar operations.
Environmental sustainability
Our challenge: embed environmental sustainability into everything we do.
Modernisation
Our challenge: modernise and future-proof assets and infrastructure.
Safety culture
Our challenge: develop safe and resilient staff who can confidently and successfully assess and manage hazards and risks.
The first four themes, classed as our priorities for change, are influenced by both internal and external drivers and can be categorised as the areas that will have the most significant impact across the full reach of the organisation.
Not to be viewed as independent themes, our priorities for change will be interwoven through all of our strategy and will have a fundamental impact across all areas of our organisation over the next 10 years and beyond.
Enablers
Excellent polar science for a sustainable planet
Our challenge: deliver world-class science, providing trusted advice to policymakers.
Outstanding polar operations
Our challenge: enhance polar operations and transform future support to polar science.
Exceptional organisation
Our challenge: make BAS the most efficient, effective and agile organisation it can be.
Brilliant people
Our challenge: make BAS a place where people are proud to work, and where the development and wellbeing of our people is recognised as a priority.
External partnerships, engagement and collaborations
Our challenge: build impactful and lasting relationships with partners and collaborators.
The remaining five themes are our Enablers that support BAS in delivering its core mission. These areas are fundamental to our success as an organisation and our strategy sets out our plans for how we intend to strengthen these areas with the help of our priorities for change as well as enhancement through other mechanisms.
Find out more about the BAS Strategy
Our strategy will build upon successes in both Polar Regions and high mountain environments across the world. We will apply our expertise to ensure the impact of our work has a global reach.
Read the BAS Strategy in full and find out more about our Science Strategy and plans to reach net zero by 2040.