Skip navigation


You are in:  Home » About SCAR » Introducing SCAR » Future Plans

Strategic Plan 2004–2010

Annex 3

Contents page

Recommendations of the SCAR Review 2000

[the extent to which these recommendations have been met is addressed in the “Review of Progress in Implementing the Recommendations of the SCAR Review” submitted under agenda item 6.2 at the 28th meeting of the SCAR Delegates, Bremerhaven, 3-8 October 2004]

  1. SCAR’S mission remains valid and SCAR continues to play an important role in fostering and coordinating science in Antarctica and in advising the Antarctic Treaty System and other organizations concerned with the Antarctic and Southern Ocean, but SCAR must take a more active and assertive leadership position in all matters related to science in Antarctica.
  2. SCAR should update its mission in four areas by:
  • Increasing emphasis on the scientific capacity of all national groups working in Antarctica and on outreach to younger scientists;
  • Taking a more proactive stance with the Antarctic Treaty System in providing the highest level independent advice on scientific aspects of issues affecting the governance and management of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean;
  • Taking a more proactive position in the analysis of the impact of global change on the Antarctic region and in the contribution of science in Antarctica to the overall understanding of global change; and,
  • Increasing the dissemination of knowledge about Antarctica and about SCAR and its activities to scientists, national leaders, and the public.
  1. SCAR delegates—at the delegate level—must become more actively engaged in the management of SCAR at SCAR meetings and also intersessionally.
  2. Four delegate-level committees should be established, each chaired by a SCAR vice president, with the following portfolios: Scientific Affairs, Outreach and Education, Scientific Liaison, and Internal Affairs
  3. SCAR vice presidents should have titles corresponding to their portfolios, e.g., Vice President for Scientific Affairs.
  4. The SCAR Executive Committee should be retained. In addition to processing business that comes before it presently, the Executive Committee should act intersessionally on advice or recommendations of the Delegate Committees or refer such recommendations to SCAR’s next plenary session.
  5. All SCAR officers are encouraged to seek a greater level of support at their home institutions through a greater level of in-kind and other administrative assistance but SCAR should also increase its budget for these purposes.
  6. The past president of SCAR should serve ex-officio for one but no more than two years instead of serving a four-year term ex-officio.
  7. While the scientific-level structure of working groups and groups of specialists has served SCAR effectively in the past, this structure should be replaced by a system of operating groups that can respond quickly and flexibly to emerging scientific opportunities in Antarctica and to changing demands on SCAR.
  8. SCAR must adopt practices that create a timely circulation of documents and reports and must plan a meeting schedule that improves its ability to make informed decisions.
  9. The Delegate Committee on Internal Affairs must give immediate attention and high priority to the increased efficiency and effectiveness of internal communications in SCAR.
  10. SCAR must greatly improve its external communications with other scientific organizations, ATS, national committees or other adhering bodies and the public so that science in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean and the activities of SCAR are more widely known.
  11. SCAR should appoint an ad hoc group of SCAR delegates who do not have English as a first language to make recommendations to SCAR to maximise the effective use of English as the SCAR language of record and communication.
  12. The SCAR secretariat should be upgraded to an Executive Office headed by an Executive Director with duties comparable to Executive Directors of similar international scientific organizations.
  13. SCAR must improve its infrastructure and capability to use information technology for internal and external communication.
  14. A more proactive SCAR Executive Office will require larger facilities and upgraded support services.
  15. SCAR should expand its financial resources by actively seeking philanthropic funds for some activities.
  16. Recognizing that they must weigh many factors in the selection of SCAR delegates, national Antarctic committees and other bodies adhering to SCAR should appoint delegates with current scientific expertise in Antarctic research.
  17. National Antarctic committees and other bodies adhering to SCAR should continue to give more attention to participation of younger scientists both in research in Antarctica and in SCAR’s scientific operating groups.
  18. In order to proceed expeditiously with the implementation of the changes recommended in this report, SCAR should consider waiving appropriate parts of its present Constitution and Rules of Procedure for two years, during which time the new structure will be put in place. After the structure and procedures evolve, the Constitution and Rules of Procedure should be amended as necessary.