An expedition led by British polar explorer Pen Hadow, to take place next Spring, has earned the rare patronage of HRH The Prince of Wales.

Hadow’s Arctic Survey will make the first definitive measurements of the depth of the North Pole ice cap, thereby assisting scientists around the world in determining the declining state of the Arctic sea ice cover. The consequences of its melt will have consequences for everyone on the planet.

"Only polar explorers have the ability to undertake the necessary surface journey to make the vital direct surface observations in the dangerous and challenging conditions around the North Pole," said Prince Charles, explaining the granting of his patronage, "something satellites and submarines have been unable to do."

Not just polar bears and the bio-diversity of the Arctic will be affected by the seasonal disappearance of the sea ice – rising sea levels, escalating political tensions over energy resources, distorted weather patterns, unmanaged shipping routes and fish stocks, and fresh water shortages around the world are all significant consequences, says Hadow.

“The Prince of Wales is one of the world’s great environmental leaders who has been warning of the threat from climate change for decades. We could not find a better patron of our expedition and he has asked us to keep him informed on a regular basis as our journey progresses,” says Pen Hadow.

“The Arctic Ocean sea ice is ‘the canary’ of climate change,” he continues, “as it is critically important as a reflector of the Sun’s heat, but it is melting at an alarmingly fast rate. The experts are unsure whether it will disappear in 100 years time, or in less than five.”

“Hadow’s measurements will provide an unprecedented data set of snow and ice that will allow us to better characterise the current state of the Arctic sea ice cover and project its declining trend,” explains Dr Ron Kwok - Senior Research Scientist, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA.

“Good science is essential as we grapple with the consequences of climate change,” says HRH The Prince of Wales. “The work of Arctic Survey is crucial to ensure we have the information to know the scale of the damage we are doing. For the sake of our children and grandchildren, I pray that we will heed the findings of Arctic Survey.”

The £2.5 million project is already two-thirds funded by individual philanthropists, corporate sponsors and grant-awarding bodies.