White Desert Initial Environmental Evaluation (IEE) Update Report 2020 July 2020 For Submission to the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office White Desert IEE Update Report 2020 Table of Contents White Desert IEE Update Report 2020 .................................................................................................. 1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 5 Purpose of document ....................................................................................................................... 5 Preparation of document .................................................................................................................. 6 Overview of White Desert Activities ................................................................................................. 8 Membership of IAATO (International Association of Antarctica Tour Operator) .......................... 8 Environmental Management Systems, Certifications and Awards ............................................... 9 Scope of Environmental Assessment .............................................................................................. 11 Study Areas, Spatial and Temporal Scope ................................................................................... 11 Environmental Impact Approach and Methodology ....................................................................... 12 Overview of current and proposed operations ................................................................................... 13 Overview of numbers...................................................................................................................... 13 Logistics and Re-Supply Routes ....................................................................................................... 14 Traverse Routes .............................................................................................................................. 14 Overview of fuel and supplies ......................................................................................................... 15 White Desert Aviation ..................................................................................................................... 16 Aircraft use in Antarctica ............................................................................................................ 16 Intercontinental flights ............................................................................................................... 16 Plant, Equipment and Vehicles ................................................................................................... 17 Operational Environmental Measures ................................................................................................ 19 Climate Change and Antarctica ........................................................................................................... 19 Net Zero by 2050 and the Paris Agreement .................................................................................... 19 Potential Impacts ............................................................................................................................ 20 Establishment of Greenhouse Gas Reporting 2019-2020 Baseline ................................................. 20 Carbon and Fuel Use Management Plan ..................................................................................... 21 Existing Measures ........................................................................................................................... 22 Pathway to Net Zero Commitment as part of five year plan ........................................................... 22 Sustainable Aviation Strategy ..................................................................................................... 22 Pledge to Net Zero Commitment- Setting of Science Based Targets ........................................... 22 Carbon off-setting ....................................................................................................................... 23 White Desert Pathway to Net Zero by 2050 Policy .............................................................................. 24 Local air quality atmospheric emissions ............................................................................................. 25 White Desert IEE 2020 Report Final Environmental Baseline Air Quality in Antarctica ........................................................................... 25 Activities and potential impacts ...................................................................................................... 25 Local air quality and atmospheric pollutant .................................................................................... 26 Existing mitigation measures for local air quality impacts .............................................................. 26 Additional local air quality environmental measures ...................................................................... 27 Bio-Security and Non Native Species .................................................................................................. 29 Environmental Baseline .................................................................................................................. 29 Activities and Potential impacts ...................................................................................................... 29 Pathways or vectors for transporting non native species include: .................................................. 29 Mitigation Measures: Summary of Bio Security Measures ............................................................. 30 Waste Management Plan.................................................................................................................... 32 Activities and Potential Impacts .................................................................................................. 32 Mitigation Measures ................................................................................................................... 32 Environmental Emergency Preparedness and Response ................................................................ 40 Operational Assessment Tables ...................................................................................................... 41 Geographic Specific Environmental Measures .................................................................................... 45 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 45 Environmental Baseline and Activities ................................................................................................ 46 Wolf’s Fang Runway and Camp........................................................................................................... 46 Description of Activities .................................................................................................................. 46 Wolf’s Fang Blue-ice Runway ...................................................................................................... 46 Wolf’s Fang Camp ....................................................................................................................... 49 Changes in activities for five year period .................................................................................... 49 Environmental Baseline .................................................................................................................. 51 Land Use ..................................................................................................................................... 51 Antarctic Heritage ....................................................................................................................... 51 Physical Environment .................................................................................................................. 51 Ablation ...................................................................................................................................... 52 Climate, Weather and Meteorological Data ............................................................................... 52 Ecology ........................................................................................................................................ 53 Whichaway Camp ............................................................................................................................... 57 Description of Activities .................................................................................................................. 57 Whichaway Camp ....................................................................................................................... 57 Whichaway Skiway ...................................................................................................................... 58 Client activities ............................................................................................................................ 58 2 | Page White Desert IEE 2020 Report Final Changes in activities for five year period .................................................................................... 58 Environmental Baseline .................................................................................................................. 60 Land Use 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