The Southern Ocean and Antarctica are changing rapidly, yet many processes and their impacts on the global climate are still poorly understood. A new international research project aims to fill these gaps in knowledge. Led by the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI), the SYNCHRONY project brings together a total of 27 research institutions from Europe and beyond, including the British Antarctic Survey (BAS).
The four-year project began on 1 August 2026 and is funded by the European Union with around 8.5 million euros. The aim is to expand existing observation networks, consolidate measurement data from various programmes and create a coherent picture of the changes in Antarctica’s climate, ocean and ecosystems.
The situation is urgent: Antarctic sea ice has been reaching record lows for several years, parts of the West Antarctic ice sheet are losing ice at an increasing rate, and the formation of deep water – a key driver of global ocean currents – appears to be slowing down. The long-term consequences of these developments for sea levels and the global climate can only be predicted to a limited extent at present.
“Antarctica and the Southern Ocean play a crucial role in our climate, but are undergoing unprecedented environmental change,” says BAS marine ecologist Dr Nadine Johnston. Through close international collaboration and standardised long-term observations, SYNCHRONY aims to lay the foundations for significantly more reliable climate predictions.
The project is also a key component of the UN initiative Antarctica InSync, which aims to establish one of the largest scientific observation networks in Antarctica between 2027 and 2029. It also serves as preparation for the 5th International Polar Year 2032/33. The AWI is coordinating the overall project and is contributing, amongst other things, several expeditions on the research vessel “Polarstern”, autonomous measurement systems and the HAFOS long-term observatory in the Weddell Sea.
Heiner Kubny, PolarJournal