pdf SCAR EXCOM 2009 WP14: Report from the SCAR Delegation to XXXII ATCM in Baltimore, USA, April 2009

SCAR EXCOM 2009 WP14: Report from the SCAR Delegation to XXXII ATCM in Baltimore, USA, April 2009

Report from the SCAR Delegation to XXXII ATCM in Baltimore, USA

April 6-17, 2009

Introduction

The XXXII Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM) took place in Baltimore, MD, USA at the Baltimore Convention Centre from 6^th to 17^th April 2009. In parallel with the start of the Committee on Environmental Protection (CEP) XII on April 6^th, a joint session between the ATCPs and the Arctic Council was held at the US State Department in Washington. US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, and the President of the Arctic Council addressed the joint meeting. It featured the endorsement of a joint Ministerial Declaration on the International Polar Year 2007-2008 (IPY) (Appendix 1). The session was followed by an afternoon presentation on the science of IPY by US scientists at the US National Academy’s headquarters, in Washington, DC.

The SCAR Delegation consisted of C Summerhayes (Head of Delegation), C Kennicutt, M Sparrow, and K Lochte, who presented the SCAR lecture. Several of the Members of SCAR’s Standing Committee on the Antarctic Treaty System (SC-ATS) attended the meeting (C Kennicutt, H Miller, S Marenssi, J Shears), which facilitated decision making on key issues concerning SCAR’s presentations to the CEP and the ATCM. SCATS Chair S Chown sent his regrets for being unable to attend. SCAR V-Ps R Ravindra and S Marenssi were also present.