02 Lloyd Peck on living in the Antarctic and how it’s changed over two decades

In his brim-full office at the British Antarctic Survey in Cambridge, I chat with Lloyd Peck just after his return from a spell at Rothera Research Station. We talk about how fast things are changing. He’s a veteran of some 800 cold water dives, often under the ice. The Antarctic is the site of enormous aquatic biodiversity, much completely unique. We talk of great sea spiders and fish with no haemoglobin; of low temperature enzymes that will help in organ donor transport. But he’s seen glaciers and ice sheets retreat two miles; he’s seen rain fall instead of snow, soaking albatross chicks; he’s seen great abundance of humpback and orca whales. He says, “I find it really wearing; it gets me down.”Lloyd recommends Jared Diamond’s Collapse for its warning call about care for nature. His hero is a teacher who took great interest in him.His recommended action: look at what you do, and choose something small to foster climate action and positive change. Do it bit by bit. British Antarctic Survey: https://www.bas.ac.uk/ My new book will be supporting this podcast, and will be published in March 2027. It is called "Bamboo and Butterfly: Transformative Stories for Climate and Nature Recovery."