Poet Laureate in the Arctic

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Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media: Arts

Simon Armitage is in the Arctic to witness climate change and write new poems in response.

Simon Armitage is in the Arctic, to see for himself what's happening in a part of the world that's so crucial to the climate change debate, and to write new poems in response.

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Poet Laureate in the Arctic: Episode 4

Episode 4

BBC Radio 4 - Poet Laureate in the Arctic, Episode 4

Poet laureate Simon Armitage's last days in the Arctic in search of facts and new poems.

Simon Armitage is at the UK Arctic Research station to find out what's happening in a place  that's crucial to the climate change debate, and to write new poems in response.

Simon Armitage is spending a few days at the Natural Environmental Research Council's Arctic Station in Ny Alesund in Svalbard. This is the world's most northerly community, consisting of a group of buildings housing scientists from 11 different nations.  He's here to see for himself what's happening in this part of the world, and to talk to  research scientists who can explain the importance of the work they are doing in the Arctic, which is warming faster than the rest of the planet.

Travelling by by bike and on foot, Simon heads out from the base, joining Dr Jaz Millar, Emily Broadwell and Madeleine Lewis from the University of Bristol on their trek to a glacier to take samples for the iDAPT project. This four-year study is examining how the earliest plants were able to make the transition from fresh water to land, one of the most important steps in the evolution of the Earth. Simon finds out why this project is relevant to the current rapid change happening in the Arctic now.

Having heard thunderous cleaving of ice from the snout of the sea glaciers in the fjord, Iain and Simon go for a closer look in the station's boat. Finding it impossible to get close to the front of the glacier, the boat is left to drift as they listen to the sound of the ice popping and melting in the 24-hour-long sunshine. 

As well as experiencing the Arctic for himself - whist keeping a watch our for polar bears - Simon is trying to capture the majesty and vulnerability of this region in new poems written in response to what he finds.

with:

iDAPT field scientists Dr Jaz Millar, Emily Broadwell and Madeleine Lewis
Iain Rudkin, station leader, the Natural Environment Research Council Arctic station


Producer Susan Roberts

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