Welcome to SCAR
Welcome to the Home Page of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), an inter-disciplinary committee of the International Council for Science (ICSU). SCAR is charged with initiating, developing and coordinating high quality international scientific research in the Antarctic region, and on the role of the Antarctic region in the Earth system. The scientific business of SCAR is conducted by its Standing Scientific Groups which represent the scientific disciplines active in Antarctic research and report to SCAR.
In addition to carrying out its primary scientific role, SCAR also provides objective and independent scientific advice to the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings and other organizations on issues of science and conservation affecting the management of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean. In that role, SCAR has made numerous recommendations on a variety of matters, most of which have been incorporated into Antarctic Treaty instruments. Foremost amongst these have been the advice provided for the many international agreements which provide protection for the ecology and environment of the Antarctic.
SCAR meets every two years to conduct its administrative business at the SCAR Delegates Meeting. At these meetings the members of SCAR, through their appointed Delegates, are responsible for approving SCAR finances, and formulating SCAR policy and strategy. They also elect an Executive Committee from among themselves which is responsible for the day-to-day administration of SCAR through its Secretariat at the Scott Polar Research Institute in Cambridge, England. The Executive Committee comprises the President, Past-President, four Vice-Presidents and the SCAR Executive Director. The SCAR Secretariat is staffed by the Executive Director, Executive Officer and an Administrative Assistant.
SCAR also holds, prior to the Delegates Meeting, a major Open Science Conference to draw attention to Antarctic issues, along with meetings of the Standing Scientific Groups that are designed to finalise the Science Programmes for eventual approval by the Delegates.
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Highlights:
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A View Beyond the Horizon: Future Directions in Antarctic Science
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XXXIII SCAR Meetings and Open Science Conference22 August - 3 September 2014, Auckland, New Zealand. The Open Science Conference will be held on 25-29 August. A draft list of sessions is available for comment before 1 August. For more information, please see the First Circular and visit the Conference website. |
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SCAR "Antarctic Climate Change and the Environment" ReportPublished on 18 April 2013 in the journal Polar Record, the Antarctic Climate Change and the Environment (ACCE) report provides an update on the scientific advances made since the last report in 2009. Important areas in which the science has rapidly advanced include the debate on whether the Antarctic ice sheet is growing or shrinking, and separating the signals of human-induced change from natural variations in the climate system.
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The next generation of SRPs |
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SCAR Strategic Plan, 2011-2016Antarctic Science and Policy Advice in a Changing World: SCAR Strategic Plan 2011-2016 |
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SCAR NewsletterIf you would like to subscribe to SCAR news, please sign up here. |
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Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS) |
SCAR is registered as a Company and a Charity in the UK: Company Number 6564642; Charity Number 1124840
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