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SCAR BULLETIN, No. 151, October 2003

Resolution 2 (2003)
Support of the ATCM for the International Polar Year 2007/8

The Representatives,

Aware that the Polar Regions are key components of the Earth System;
Considering the important role of the Polar Regions both in driving and responding to Global Climate Change;
Recognising the opportunities afforded by new technological and logistical developments for polar research in the 21st century to develop an understanding of key global phenomena at the frontiers of discovery;
Acknowledging the important contribution to scientific knowledge resulting from international cooperation in scientific investigations in the Polar Regions;
Noting the opportunity offered by the 125th anniversary of the first International Polar Year (IPY), the 75th anniversary of the second IPY, and the 50th anniversary of the International Geophysical Year (IGY), to galvanise an intensive programme of internationally coordinated research in the Polar Regions;
Noting the active commitment to an International Polar Year of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and the interest of other international bodies responsible for the coordination of research in the Arctic.
Noting the establishment by the International Council for Science (ICSU) of an overarching Planning Group to coordinate the planning for and the establishment of the IPY (2007/08) that will encompass a wide range of science issues of global interest;
Recommend that the parties:

• call upon SCAR and COMNAP to work with International Council for Science (ICSU) to pursue actively the planning and implementation by all interested organizations of an International Polar Year (2007/9) to address priority polar science issues of global relevance;
•
within the context of their national Antarctica research programmes and capabilities to support science programmes proposed for the IPY (2007/8) to achieve outcomes which would not otherwise be possible if undertaken by national programmes alone; make the support of the IPY (2007/8) a priority within their national research activities.