SCAR is an official Observer to the Antarctic Treaty and provides independent, objective scientific advice in a variety of fields, particularly on environmental and conservation matters.  The Standing Committee on the Antarctic Treaty System (SCATS) is the body within the SCAR structure tasked with developing SCAR’s scientific advice to the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM) and its Committee on Environmental Protection (CEP), the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (CCAS), and the Advisory Committee to the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP). 

SCAR’s role in the ATCM and CEP includes provision of Working Papers and Information Papers on:

• Emerging policy-relevant issues;
• Reviews of the state of knowledge; and
• Scientific and technical advice. 

SCAR also provides a yearly Lecture on science topics SCAR believes will be of most interest to the Treaty Parties.

Members:

• This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - Chief Officer, UK, 2020 - 2024
• This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - Deputy Chief Officer, USA, 2018 - 2022
• This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - Expert Group on Birds and Marine Mammals  (EG-BAMM) and SCAR-CCAMLR Liaison, Australia, 2018-2022
• This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - Physical Sciences Group Representative, USA, 2022 - 2026
• This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - Geosciences Group Representative, India, 2022 - 2026
• This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - INStabilities & Thresholds in ANTarctica (INSTANT) SRP Representative, New Zealand, 2022 - 2026
• This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - New Zealand, 2014 - 2022
• This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - Germany, 2018-2022
• This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - Secretariat, from June 2018
• This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - Spain, 2018-2022
• This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - Antarctic Environments Portal, from September 2022
• This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - Life Sciences Group Representative, France, 2014 - 2022
• This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - Japan, 2014 - 2022
• This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - Standing Committee on Antarctic Data Management (SCADM) Chief Officer, Belgium, 2016 - 2020
• This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - USA, 2018 - 2022

Terms of Reference

The Terms of Reference for the Standing Committee on the Antarctic Treaty System (SCATS), which are laid out in the Rules of Procedure for SCAR Working Groups, are to:

1. Develop and provide independent scientific advice to the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS);
2. Respond to requests for advice from the Antarctic Treaty System;
3. Coordinate these tasks across SCAR’s subsidiary groups, the Executive Committee, and, where required, National Committees and the SCAR Delegates;
4. Co-represent SCAR at the various meetings of bodies that make up the ATS, and primarily the Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP) and the formal meeting of the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties;
5. Adhere to a set of guiding principles as follows:
   - Ensure that its advice is accurate, independent, current, and traceable to source,
   - Rely on peer-reviewed, publicly-available science,
   - Formulate advice on a broad, inclusive, open-consultation basis to provide the most
      appropriate advice no matter where the expertise on which it rests resides,
   - Provide timely advice with the proviso that accuracy takes priority;
6. Report to the SCAR Delegates or the Directors (Executive Committee) as appropriate.

SCATS Reports

• Reports to SCAR Delegates and Executive Committee Meetings