pdf SCAR EXCOM 2013 WP23: Report from SC-ATS (SCAR Delegation to CEP XVI and XXXVI ATCM in Brussels, Belgium 20-29th May 2013)

SCAR EXCOM 2013 WP23: Report from SC-ATS (SCAR Delegation to CEP XVI and XXXVI ATCM in Brussels, Belgium 20-29th May 2013)

Executive Summary

Title: Report of the SCAR Delegation to CEP XVI and XXXVI ATCM in Brussels, Belgium 20-29^th May 2013

Authors: S L Chown, M Sparrow, J Lopez-Martinez

Introduction/ Background: SCAR provides objective and independent scientific advice to the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings and other organizations on issues affecting the conservation and management of Antarctica.

Important Issues or Factors: SCAR provided five Working Papers (WPs), six Information Papers (IPs) and three Background Papers (BP). Many were submitted jointly with other Parties, Observers and Experts. The SCAR Lecture, given by Prof Chuck Kennicutt and jointly authored with Prof Jemma Wadham, was entitled 'Probing the Limits of Technology: Exploration of Subglacial Aquatic Environments'. The Treaty agreed on the first draft of a multi-year strategic plan. Along with the successful CEP five-year plan these documents will be useful to SCAR when it comes to its own priority setting for advice to the ATCM.

Agreements:

The following agreements were made:

• SCAR will continue to work with New Zealand and Australia in producing a pilot version of the Antarctic Environments Portal.
• SCAR will work with Parties in the Intersessional Contact Group (ICG) on climate change
• SCAR, through its new Action Group on Remote Sensing, to work with the UK and others on remote sensing techniques for gathering information on emperor penguin population variability
• SCAR to contribute to an informal working group to discuss the outcomes of the German paper WP 19, Report on the Research Project “The Impact of Human Activities on Soil Organisms of the Maritime Antarctic and the Introduction of Non-Native Species in Antarctica”
• SCAR, through its Standing Committee on Antarctic Geographic Information, to work with France intersessionaly on common geo-referencing of toponymic data.

Budget Implications: $20k per year for SC-ATS. Funds are also budgeted so the SCAR Delegation can attend the Antarctic Treaty Meetings.