SCAR promotes free and unrestricted access to Antarctic data and information by promoting open and accessible archiving practices.  SCAR aims to be a portal to data repositories of Antarctic scientific data and information.

SCAR encourages the community to make maximum use of all data; to develop and operate mechanisms to facilitate the collection, storage, retrieval and dissemination of data and information for the common good; and to ensure that these mechanisms are effective.

SCAR products are tools developed by the community for organising Antarctic datasets and providing easy access to them. They include searchable databases and digital map products. Details of SCAR's products can be found in the Data & Databases section and the Maps and Geographic Information section.

Two SCAR Standing Committees manage data and information on behalf of SCAR’s scientific community. The Standing Committee on Antarctic Data Management (SCADM) facilitates co-operation between scientists and nations with regard to scientific data, and advises on the development of the Antarctic Data Directory System.  The Standing Committee on Antarctic Geographic Information (SCAGI) manages and enhances the geographic framework for Antarctic scientific research, operations, environmental management, and tourism.

We are also proud to share with your our SCAR Library which brings together decades of SCAR documents, group reports, strategy documents and more into a searchable database. If you are interested in anything that SCAR has helped to coordinate and promote, check out our Library.

Communication is essential in all aspects of SCAR’s work, both to enable researchers, policymakers and decision makers to understand the significance and value of SCAR’s activities, and to inform the wider public about Antarctic issues. In our Educational Resources section, we share resources and activities to help educators and researchers communicate topics related to Antarctica.