Antarctica under ORLEN’s wings – new protected area to be established in cooperation with the Polish Academy of Sciences

The “Antarctica under ORLEN’s Wings” project is a flagship research-and-education drive whose prime objective is to create a new Antarctic Specially Protected Area. Today, sites under the highest level of protection account for a scant 0.02 percent of the region’s surface. Over the next five years, the programme will stake out an additional reserve — expanding the protected footprint and bolstering Poland’s international standing in Antarctic research. The venture is a joint undertaking by ORLEN, the ORLEN Foundation and the Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics of the Polish Academy of Sciences.

“Participation in this one-of-a-kind venture is perfectly aligned with our sustainability roadmap and ORLEN’s core priorities — backing Polish science, bringing innovative technologies to market and delivering on corporate social responsibility,” said Lidia Kołucka, Executive Director for Sponsorship at ORLEN. “When business joins forces with academia, we open up new frontiers of knowledge and create initiatives with real impact. Antarctica is critical to the planet’s climate balance, and we intend to champion the research that keeps it protected,” she added.

In the initial phase of the partnership, funding will be allocated for state-of-the-art equipment, including a purpose-built sea rescue and assistance vessel and a fleet of snowmobiles vital for safeguarding and executing research missions in the remotest reaches of King George Island and for keeping the programme’s ambitious milestones on course.

“Backing from ORLEN and the Foundation — together with the specialist equipment it finances — opens entirely new research horizons for Polish scientists,” said Professor Jarosław Poznański, Director of the Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics of the Polish Academy of Sciences. “It will also enhance the safety of researchers from around the world working within the reach of the Henryk Arctowski Polish Antarctic Station, which IBB PAS has operated since 2012. Thanks to their efforts, the global scientific community receives invaluable data on glacier-melt rates, climate dynamics and population trends among Antarctic species. Our collaboration will undoubtedly broaden knowledge of the Antarctic ecosystem and, in the long run, enable Poland to play a decisive role in protecting this unique part of our planet,” he added.

In parallel, the project will carry out an inventory of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs). Tracking bird populations is vital, as the findings feed into the early-warning system that signals the effects of climate change. “Antarctica under ORLEN’s Wings” will centre its work on King George Island in the South Shetland Islands, West Antarctica, with special attention to the Destruction Bay area.

“An equally critical part of the new equipment package is a fleet of next-generation unmanned aerial systems—drones capable of unlocking unexpected discoveries in the pristine sectors of King George Island,” stressed Dr hab. Robert Bialik, Professor of the Polish Academy of Sciences and project lead. “The insights they deliver will help us give these areas the focused protection they need, shielding them from the surge in human activity Antarctica has experienced in recent years and preserving their natural state for generations to come.”

Another pillar of the programme is a comprehensive education and outreach campaign in Poland. ORLEN will fund the production of a documentary film and ongoing media coverage of the project, as well as the organisation of scientific events and dedicated classroom workshops. These initiatives will give students and science enthusiasts a richer insight into this remote and captivating region of the world.

The Antarctic — the continent of Antarctica and the adjoining waters of the Southern Ocean — is governed by the Antarctic Treaty, an international accord that reserves the region exclusively for peaceful, scientific pursuits, expressly forbidding natural-resource extraction and military activity. Research carried out here is pivotal to understanding climate dynamics and the functioning of the entire planet. As a Treaty signatory, Poland is among the 29 nations jointly responsible for administering this unique global commons.

ORLEN is an integrated multi-utility group that supplies power and fuels to millions of people across Europe, with Central Europe as its primary market. Owing to the scale and strategic importance of its operations, the company is a driving force behind the region’s energy transition and decarbonisation efforts. A cornerstone of ORLEN’s sponsorship strategy is its active partnership with Polish science and the research community that underpins it.

The Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics of the Polish Academy of Sciences ranks among Poland’s foremost research centres. Its core mission is to conduct fundamental research across the physical, life, medical, and health sciences — with a special focus on biochemistry and biophysics — while also pursuing multidisciplinary studies in the world’s polar regions. Drawing on its deep expertise, the Institute is equally committed to shaping the next generation of scientists, training early-career researchers and doctoral candidates.

The ORLEN Foundation delivers a broad portfolio of programmes spanning education, environmental stewardship and community support — initiatives designed to advance sustainable development and social responsibility. The Foundation funds Polish research, awards scholarships to emerging talent, and backs projects that promote safety and active lifestyles among children and young people. Through these commitments, it plays a pivotal role in driving high-impact social and environmental initiatives.

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