International Polar Foundation

Antwerp resident and #LEGO enthusiast Daniel Vermeir agreed to be interviewed by our team after he built an amazing scale model of the Princess Elisabeth #Antarctica, the world’s first and to date only zero-emission #polar #research station. The model is on display at the gift shop of the MAS | Museum aan de Stroom in Stad Antwerpen, Belgium. The model consists of some 6,000 pieces and took over 70 hours to complete. Follow the link below to read the full interview with Daniel Vermeir and get inspired today! https://bit.ly/4dmWrwN

We are happy to announce that our 2024-2025 Antarctic season has officially begun! The first members of our team have arrived at the Princess Elisabeth station and are preparing for the arrival of the first scientists. We look forward to supporting 18 different research projects this season, all of which play a role in trying to understand the bigger puzzle piece at hand - climate change

Last weekend we wrapped another successful trip to the Arctic Circle Assembly in Reykjavik! IPF board member Marie Anne Coninsx moderated a panel discussion titled 'Navigating the New Arctic: The Role of Non-Arctic States in Shaping the Future'. Furthermore, one of our engineers Aymar de Lichtervelde manned the 'Polar Technology Showcase' booth and was an invited speaker for the business forum breakout session titled 'Innovation and Technology for the Polar Regions' where he presented the new water treatment system that was installed at the Princess Elisabeth #Antarctica this past season. This innovative new system was designed in house by our engineers and allows for all grey and black water to be treated on site and largely recycled for other uses outside the kitchen and showers. This has multiple benefits, including using less energy to melt snow (how we source our water), recycling nearly 50% of water used as well as greatly limiting the amount of waste that needs to transported back out of Antarctica - because the end result of treating the waste with bacteria is just a small amount of dried sludge that can be easily transported back to civilization for proper disposal. Our new water treatment system is an example of how innovative technology can reduce the amount of resources that are required as an input, in turn reducing the ecological footprint on the pristine environment which is of upmost importance in Antarctica! Follow the link to read more about our time in Reykjavik at the Arctic Circle Assembly! https://bit.ly/48oTQ4f

Tomorrow Aymar de Lichtervelde will be partaking in a Business Forum Breakout Session titled ‘Innovation and Technology for the Polar Regions’ at the Arctic Circle Assembly! This is a great opportunity to learn more about innovative technologies implemented in the Polar regions - such as the water treatment system that Aymar designed and then along with others installed at the Princess Elisabeth Antarctica this past season! This state of the art system ensures a large amount of water can be recylced and reused which in turn reduces our ecological footprint on the prestine landscape.

For all of those in Reykjavik at the Arctic Circle Assembly be sure to check out the ‘2024 Polar Technology Showcase’ booth - where we have a 3d model of the new water treatment system that was installed at the Princess Elisabeth Antarctica this past season - as well as a systems engineer responsible for the design and install of the completely custom and innovative system! Which was specifically designed to recycle much of the water and keep waste to a minimum ♻️ Location: Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Center, second floor.

Scientists and IPF team members are prepping equipment to be shipped to Antarctica for 2024-2025 BELARE campaign. We look forward to getting back on the ice, supporting scientists and their various research projects 🇦🇶 the Princess Elisabeth Antarctica is scheduled to open November 1st!

Scientists and IPF team members are prepping equipment to be shipped to Antarctica for 2024-2025 BELARE campaign. We look forward to getting back on the ice, supporting scientists and their various research projects 🇦🇶 the Princess Elisabeth Antarctica is scheduled to open November 1st!

Last week, on October 8th a large solar storm occurred, sending a stream of electrically charged plasma particles towards the Earth. When these charged particles collide with gases in Earth's atmosphere, light is emitted at various wavelengths, creating colorful swirling displays high in the atmosphere. These impressive auroras were also captured by the camera at the Princess Elisabeth Antarctica station. Auroras are more visible right now because the sun is at what astronomers call the 'maximum' of its 11-year solar cycle, causing auroras to be more intense and visible not only in the high latitude regions where they are typically seen but also further towards the equator in both the northern and southern hemispheres!

IPF board member Marie Anne Coninsx has published an article on the EGMONT - Royal Institute for International Relations website, titled 'Belgium Needs a Bold Arctic Policy - Now: The Case for Investment in Research, fostering Security and Stability, and Global Leadership'. The Arctic is warming four times faster than the global average, making it one of the most vulnerable regions to climate change. Furthermore, it's 'a bellwether for the health of the entire planet, and what happens there affects us all!' Follow the link below to read the full article. https://lnkd.in/evxkiYRP Photo credit: Chou Pequeira

Registration is now open for the 15th edition of the Arctic Futures Symposium taking place on December 2nd-3rd at the Residence Palace in Brussels' EU Quarter. The symposium is free for all attendees and will once again feature a broad range of speakers and discussions. Follow the link below for more information on the Arctic Futures website and secure your spot today! https://bit.ly/3BAOG90 Photo credit: Nordland County