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SCAR Newsletter: Issue 1, January 2005

To improve communication with Members and with the Antarctic and Southern Ocean scientific communities, we are launching a SCAR Newsletter. To some extent the Newsletter will parallel what we put on the News page on the SCAR web site, or elsewhere on the SCAR web site. We would rather be proactive in this way than simply relying on you to click on the web site to see what's been going on. This first issue will be a long one, to be sure you are up to date with recent events. We hope to issue the Newsletter quarterly, so future issues will be shorter.
Your feedback on this process, on the SCAR web site and on SCAR communications in general would be most welcome, as would your ideas on what SCAR could be doing better in future.

If you have news items to suggest for the newsletter and/or the web page (http://www.scar.org) please send them to info@scar.org.

Dronning Maud Land Air Network

DROMLAN, with departures from Cape Town, makes it easier for scientists to travel for short trips to Dronning Maud Land in East Antarctica, and to fly between the bases there.

SCAR's Executive Director visits Antarctica

Position Announcement; Executive Officer, Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research

Applicants are encouraged to apply by March 1st 2005.

SCAR Report on 2004 CCAMLR Meeting

A report by the SCAR representative, Dr Edith Fanta, on the proceeding of the 23rd session of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, Hobart, Australia, 25 October to 5 November 2005

Report on the SCAR-sponsored Workshop on 'Recent High Latitude Climate Change', Fairbanks, Alaska, 6-8 December 2004

The attached report gives a flavour of the meeting. The organisers are now moving on to the more difficult task of writing a review paper on the subject. The picture of change that we have seen over the last 50 years is somewhat strange, and in many ways at odds with what the models predicted - greatest temperature rise over the Arctic land areas rather than the sea ice zone, increasing Antarctic sea ice rather than retreat, the Peninsula as an exceptional area of warming with little change across the rest of the continent, and so on. But at least we have plenty to investigate.

SCAR Strategic Plan 2004-2010

Best Poster Awards

Sloan Foundation award to SCAR to carry out Antarctic Census of Marine Life

The Sloan Foundation Board has formally approved $525,000 for SCAR for the Antarctic Census of Marine Life. Thanks are due to Professor Michael Stoddart of the Australian Antarctic Division for his leadership in the rapid development of the strong proposal and plans. 16 Dec 04

Do you want to participate? Scientists are invited to join SCAR's five new Scientific Research Programmes.

SCAR invites scientists to participate in and contribute to its 5 new scientific research programmes.
Those interested are invited to contact the leaders of the programmes or the SCAR office for further information. (info@scar.org) 16 Dec 04

SCAR's Reorganisation Finalised

At their 28th session, in Bremerhaven (October 3-8, 2004), SCAR's national Delegates approved the following key actions and items that consolidate the reorganisation of SCAR that began in April 2000:

  1. A new Constitution and Rules of Procedure were agreed;
  2. A new Science Programme was approved, focusing SCAR's efforts into 5 main Scientific Research Programmes;
  3. a financial strategy calling for a substantial increase in the subscription rates was approved;
  4. the draft Long-Term Strategic Plan (2004-2010) was approved in principle with the proviso that the present document be shortened and modified in consultation with Delegates for publication at year end;
  5. plans to recruit an Executive Officer to replace the present Executive Secretary on his retirement in June 2005 were approved.

Southern Ocean Biology

News on the International Polar Year

Marsden Medal awarded to NZ scientist Peter Barrett for Antarctic Research

Professor Peter Barrett FRSNZ, Director of Victoria University's Antarctic Research Centre, was awarded the 2004 Marsden Medal from the New Zealand Association of Scientists (NZAS) on 17 November 2004.
For details see: www.geo.vuw.ac.nz/antarctic/ARCMarsdenMedal.html 15 Dec 04

New Members:

At the 28th SCAR meeting, Switzerland was welcomed as a full Member, following a period as Associate Member; Malaysia was welcomed as a new Associate Member; and the Czech Republic presented an initial case for eventual membership.

Announcement of the death of Gordon de Quetteville Robin

SCAR and the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) join forces.

As part of SCAR's recognition of the growing importance of Southern Ocean studies in understanding the climate of Antarctica and the linkages between Antarctica nd the rest of the world, SCAR has formed a partnership with the WCRP.
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the two organisations on July 20th, 2004.
The WCRP and SCAR share common goals in seeking to observe, understand, and predict climate variability and change in the Antarctic region, including the Southern Ocean. Through this MoU, the WCRP and SCAR aim to share corresponding efforts and resources and avoid duplication. This will be achieved through SCAR co-sponsoring the following activities of the WCRP: the Climate and Cryosphere (CliC) core project, the CLIVAR/CliC Southern Ocean Implementation Panel and the WCRP International Programme for Antarctic Buoys.


Forthcoming Events

prepared by Colin Summerhayes and Mandy Dalton, SCAR Secretariat. Please send feedback to info@scar.org.