Sustainability is central to Quark Expeditions, and is an integral part of the Quark Polar Promise, which advances initiatives to improve environmental and social outcomes in the polar regions, outlining, goals to be met by 2025.
The first Sustainability Report from the Polar expeditions leaders includes:
- As a long-time supporter of polar research and conservation, including the efforts of organisations such as Polar Bears International, Quark Expeditions enables scientists to access remote locations in both the Arctic and Antarctic and donates the proceeds from onboard auctions to science and conservation organisations
- Donations of $250,000 to date, to the citizens’ science group, Penguin Watch, which studies penguin population change
- Since 2017, Quark Expeditions has donated $46,000 of the proceeds of onboard auctions to support the Habitat Restoration Project, administered by the South Georgia Heritage Trust, which successfully eliminated invasive rodents (impacting bird populations) from South Georgia in 2018. Quark Expeditions continues to support South Georgia Heritage Trust’s efforts to maintain this rodent-free declaration
- In 2017 Quark Expeditions eliminated single use plastics
- In 2019 the Quark Expeditions team eliminated 14,000 Individual yogurt containers and 320,000 single use plastic bottles
- In 2018-19 Quark Expeditions diverted 103.11 cubic metres of glass, 60.11 cubic metres of plastic and 106.82 cubic metres of cardboard
- Historical analysis confirms that Quark Expeditions has decreased emissions from its fleet by 28% since 2010
The full report can be viewed HERE.
IMAGE: Michelle Sole/Quark Expeditions
