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SCAR Circular no 736

Arrangements for XXVI SCAR Delegates Meeting

At its meeting in Goa, India, 20-24 September 1999, the SCAR Executive Committee discussed in some detail the proposed arrangements for the Delegates Meeting at XXVI SCAR in Tokyo, Japan, 17-21 July 2000. The background to this discussion was the XXV SCAR Delegates Meeting in Concepción, Chile, during July 1998, and the ideas and future proposals that were considered there.

On the attached sheet you will find reproduced the whole of the section on Agenda item 7. SCAR Meetings from the report of the SCAR Executive Committee Meeting. Please note particularly the sub-section of item 7.1 entitled "SCAR Delegates Meeting".

The aim of the Executive Committee in proposing these changes is to make the Delegates Meeting more efficient, to provide an atmosphere that is much more conducive to widespread involvement of all Delegates in the discussions, and to improve internal communication within SCAR. These proposed changes are independent of any recommendations that the ad hoc Group on SCAR Organization and Strategy may recommend, although it is anticipated that they will go some way towards meeting some of that Group's recommendations.

Chief Officers are asked to note in particular the sub-section of item 7.1 entitled "Working Groups and Groups of Specialists".

The aim of the Executive Committee in proposing these changes is to provide more effective communication between the Working Groups and Groups of Specialists and the SCAR Delegates by giving Delegates more time to absorb the key points of the reports and so provide more effective discussion of science issues. The changes should also improve communication between the Chief Officers and the Executive Committee, and between the Chief Officers themselves. It should also allow more informed consideration of financial requests by both the Finance Committee and the Delegates. In short, the profile and awareness of Antarctic science within SCAR should be enhanced.

National Committees and Chief Officers wishing to comment on these proposals are requested to send such comments to the SCAR Secretariat no later than 15 December 1999.

7. SCAR Meetings
7.1 XXVI SCAR
The Executive agreed that the programmes of the Working Groups and the Meeting of Delegates would be arranged to meet the following requirements:

  • Improved efficiency of the handling of business by the Working Groups
  • Better communication between Working Groups, Executive and Delegates.
  • Substantial attention to science in the programmes of the Working Groups
  • Better preparation of resolutions, budgets and reports for the attention of the Meeting of Delegates.
  • Opportunity for discussion between SCAR and COMNAP.
  • Ample time for discussion of the report of the Internal SCAR review
  • Greater involvement of SCAR delegates in the discussion of important items.
  • Discussion of tasks originating from the ATCM.

Working Groups and Groups of Specialists
Chief Officers will be contacted to inform them of the following requirements:

  • They will be requested to be available from the afternoon of Sunday 9 July 2000 to Monday 17 July 2000 inclusive.
  • They will be requested to meet with the Executive on Sunday 9 July 2000 before the welcoming reception. Here they will be briefed on budgeting requirements by R Schlich, on the correct preparation of resolutions by F Davey, and on preparation of reports by J. Valencia. They will also meet with the Executive on Saturday to discuss their draft reports and related matters.
  • They will be asked to set the afternoon of Wednesday 12 July 2000 aside in their programme for a joint discussion on the scoping exercise for the SAER.
  • They will be requested to provide an advance draft of the agenda for the work of their groups by 1 June 2000.
  • They will be notified that their draft reports, budget requests, and any resolutions should be provided to the Executive Secretary by 2000 on Friday 14 July 2000. Final reports are due by 1800 on Sunday 16 July 2000.
  • Chief Officers will have the opportunity to present comments on the report of the Review Committee to the Meeting of Delegates on the morning of Monday 17 July 2000 together with their reports. Chief Officers of groups not meeting at XXV SCAR should send comments from their groups to the Executive Secretary by 1 July 2000.

Other Interactions
The open joint meeting of the COMNAP and SCAR Executives will take place on the morning of Saturday 15 July 2000 to discuss science programmes and other matters of mutual interest.

SCAR Delegates Meeting
Seating will be arranged so that only one person from each Full, Associate and Union Members will sit at the table in order to provide better interaction. Alternate Delegates, advisers and others will be seated appropriately.

Monday 17 July 2000 will be devoted to the reports of and other interaction with Chief Officers, and to clearing routine business.

In order to involve Delegates more intimately in the discussion of major items such as the Review Report and the Scoping Exercise the meeting will divide into three groups of Delegates, with 9 or 10 members, each led by two members of the Executive, as was proposed at XXV SCAR. An explanatroy circular will be sent to all National Committees by the SCAR Secretariat.

7.2 XXVII SCAR
Dr Liqi Chen, the Chinese Delegate to SCAR, confirmed his National Committee's offer to host the XXVII SCAR meeting in China, probably in Shanghai.