TARA EXPEDITIONS ARRIVES IN LONDON
RELEASE 16 OF AUGUST 2012
Formerly Sir Peter Blake's "Seamaster", owned by Etienne Bourgois Director of agnès b. worldwide for nearly ten years, Tara is on course to alert the public to the terrible upheavals in the oceans due to global warming and organize scientific expeditions.
After Dublin and before Paris, the French scientific research vessel Tara will arrive in London on 17th September for a ten days stay. Tara has just finished Tara Oceans, a two and a half years, 70,000-mile mission across the Atlantic, Pacific, Antarctic and Indian oceans to investigate the impact of global warming on biodiversity and marine life.
Scientists on board Tara have been investigating the role played by plankton in the earth's life-support system, the effects of climate change on this critical base to the marine food chain, the preservation of marine biodiversity and ways of combating pollution and overfishing.
Artists and journalists on board have been helping to promote public awareness of these important issues. 21 laboratories in 10 countries are collaborating with the mission, and research findings are published immediately on free access databases. It will now take 10 years to analyse the complex data and samples collected by the expedition. This work will then produce the first complete overview of the world's plankton ecosystem. Researchers from Tara Oceans shared their message of a sustainable future for all at the United Nations and at Rio+20. Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of the United Nations highlighted the work of Tara Oceans at this occasion, "Earlier this year, I had the chance to board the Tara. The team was really inspiring. They shared so much information with me about oceans and climate change. I am really grateful that they are raising awareness around the world … and I am very proud that the United Nations is supporting them."»
In May 2013 Tara will head for the Great North. She will attempt to go through the Arctic Ocean by the northwest and northeast passages, for a scientific expedition.
agnès b. is the main partner of Tara Expeditions. Very sensitive to the fate of the planet, she supports the ship's projects and the latter's expeditions since her beginnings: " I have committed myself personally in this project which, in 2003, could seem a complete utopia," she says. "Finally, it is a remarkable story. Above all, it is a programme that gave progress to science and which will continue this mission with the Tara Oceans expedition. We succeeded to raise the consciousness of the younger generation to the environment thanks to Tara's human and scientific adventures. "
PRESS CONFERENCE
Tuesday 18th of September at 9 AM
Onboard Tara - St Katharine's Docks, 50 St Katherines Way, London E1 1LA.
In the presence of Etienne Bourgois, president of Tara Expeditions and Chris Bowler the scientific coordinator of Tara Oceans.
Researchers and crew will be available for interview until 5 PM onboard Tara.
A series of events are planned to raise awareness about the important work of the Tara
Expeditions Foundation during Tara's stay in London.
Public visits are planned on the weekend September 22nd – 23rd
FURTHER INFORMATION Tara Expeditions - www.taraexpeditions.org
MEDIA CONTACTS: Tara Expéditions Eloïse Fontaine ; eloise@taraexpeditions.org and Marc Domingos ; marc@taraexpeditions.org + 33 6 60 80 50 37 or agnès b. Emma Brunn press@agnesbuk.co.uk 020 7520 6910.
Photo courtesy of Tara Expeditions
