Documents

SCAR XXXV Paper 01: Summary Agenda and Schedule

SCAR XXXV Paper 02: List of Papers

SCAR XXXV Paper 03: Annotated Agenda and Timetable

SCAR XXXV Paper 04: Application of Belarus for Associate Membership

SCAR XXXV Delegates Meeting, Davos, Switzerland, 25-26 June 2018

SCAR XXXV Paper 06: Honorary Membership for Jerónimo López-Martínez

Agenda Item: 2.2

Person Responsible: S. L. Chown & ExCom

Executive Summary 

Authors

Steven L Chown (Australia), Jefferson Simões (Brazil), Karin Lochte (Germany), Terry Wilson (USA)

Summary

In keeping with SCAR’s Rules of Procedure Article 1.5.1, the named Directors (Executive Committee) of SCAR propose in this paper the election, by the Delegates, of Professor Jerónimo López-Martínez (SCAR President 2012-2016, SCAR Vice-President 2002-2006) as an Honorary Member.

Recommendation

Delegates to consider electing Professor Jerónimo López-Martínez as an Honorary Member

Budget

No budget implications.

Jerónimo López-Martínez

SCAR XXXV Delegates Meeting, Davos, Switzerland, 25-26 June 2018

SCAR XXXV Paper 07: SCAR Membership

Agenda Item: 2.3

Person Responsible: Secretariat 

Executive Summary

Authors

Eoghan Griffin, Rosemary Nash, and Terry Wilson

Summary

The membership of SCAR currently comprises 43 National Members and 9 Union Members. Following the conversations over the last couple of years, two (2) new countries have expressed interest in applying for membership for this Delegates meeting. Only one application has been received to date. Increasing the membership of SCAR has obvious advantages, both by engaging more countries in Antarctic Science and SCAR as well as increasing SCAR revenues.

Recommendation

With regard to current membership, those associate members that have already consolidated Antarctic research activities should be encouraged to become full members. Currently Venezuela is in arrears for more than 2 years and Delegates should consider the situation as no correspondence has been received for those 2 years. Contact with potential future members of SCAR should continue, including those contacted before as well as other potential interested countries.

Summary Budget 2018 to 2020

New members, and members moving from Associate to Full membership, or to more developed status,would increase the resources available to SCAR.

SCAR XXXV Delegates Meeting, Davos, Switzerland, 25-26 June 2018

SCAR XXXV Paper 08: Antarctic Climate Change in the 21st Century (AntClim21)

Agenda Item: 4.1.1

Person Responsible: T. Bracegirdle et. al

Executive Summary

Authors

Tom Bracegirdle (UK), Nancy Bertler (New Zealand), Alia Khan (USA), Gerhard Krinner (France), Paul Mayewski(USA), Marilyn Raphael (USA), Joellen Russell (USA)

Summary of activities and other important matters from 2016-18

This has been an exciting period for AntClim21 with a number of activities and developments that all help to build towards the next two years. Many of our activities cut across the three science themes of AntClim21: quantification of Antarctic climate variability; climate model evaluation for the Antarctic region and Antarctic climate projections to 2100 AD and beyond.

Key activities are as follows:

1.The third AntClim21 workshop SCAR2016 in Kuala Lumpur on climate model evaluation for improved climate projections of 21st century Antarctic and Southern Ocean climate change.

2.The Steering Committee has been expanded to improve links with two key activities of World Climate Research Programme (WCRP): Climate and the Cryosphere (CliC) and the Polar Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX).

3. In 2016 new Chief Officer Tom Bracegirdle.

4. A number of high impact papers have been published.

5. Publication of diagnostics of the mid-latitude circumpolar Southern Hemisphere westerlies at the NCAR/UCAR Climate Data Guide.

6. A major international workshop, the #GreatAntarcticClimateHack (#GACH) was held in San Diego, USA, in October 2017.

7. Plans for the POLAR2018 meeting in Davos, including a two-day workshop (Past2Projections) and a session in the Open Science Conference.

Recommendations

None

SCAR XXXV Delegates Meeting, Davos, Switzerland, 25-26 June 2018

SCAR XXXV Paper 09: Past Antarctic Ice Sheet Dynamics (PAIS)

Agenda Item: 4.1.2

Person Responsible: L. De Santis et al.

Executive Summary

Authors

Laura De Santis (Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e Geofisica Sperimentale OGS, Trieste, Italy), Tim Naish (Antarctic Research Center, Victoria Univ., Wellington New Zealand), Rob DeConto (University of Massachusetts-Amherst, MA, USA), Carlota Escutia (CSIC -Univ. de Granada, Spain).

Summary of activities from 2016-18 and other important matters

• PAIS aims to constrain Antarctica’s contribution to sea level, resulting from past changes in ice sheet mass loss and its impacts on environment, atmospheric and oceanic circulation. Based on paleo analysis, PAIS work can bound the estimates of future ice loss, and therefore provide a comprehensive view of our planet’s near-term future. PAIS research has been influential in the Intergovernmenta lPanel on Climate Change IPCC’s AR5 report and is a priority in the current sixth cycle of the IPCC.

• Extensive PAIS-facilitated field work on land and at sea has been carried out within the framework of national and multi-national projects, including International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) (http://iodp.tamu.edu/index.htmlexpedition) 374 in the Ross Sea in early 2018. Internationaland multidisciplinary campaigns yielded new findings into modern and past (last 30-40 million of years) interactions between atmospheric and oceanic circulation and ice sheet-ice shelf dynamics. Intervals studied span a range of timescales from decades to millions of years, from the pre-glacial greenhouse to icehouse climate and into the future.

• An international conference held in 2017 in Trieste (Italy), with more than 200 participants from 17 countries, focused on high priority questions relevant to the IPCC (http://ipcc.ch/and) the SCAR Horizon Scan for the next 20 years of Antarctic Research (https://www.scar.org/about-us/view-from-south/). A white paper that will be further discussed and finalised during the Polar 2018 conference, summarizesthe PAIS conference outcomes andoutlines research priorities over the next 4 years of the PAIS program and beyond. Over 30% of the PAIS conference participants were early career scientists, who will carry forward the PAIS legacy into new SRPs and continued engagement with Antarctic National programs and with the IODP.

Recommendations

None.

SCAR XXXV Delegates Meeting, Davos, Switzerland, 25-26 June 2018

SCAR XXXV Paper 10: Solid Earth Response and Influence on Cryosphere Evolution (SERCE)

Agenda Item: 4.1.3.

Person Responsible: M. King and P. Whitehouse

Executive Summary

Authors

Matt King (Australia) and Pippa Whitehouse (UK).

Summary of activities from 2016-18 and other important matters

Activities have focused on small-group workshops and training schools. During 2017-18 SERCE has sponsored the following activities, primarily by providing travel funding for ECRs and researchers from countries with emerging Antarctic programs:

• A training school focused on exploring glacial seismology was held from 11-17 June 2017 on the campus of Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA. The program included lectures and practical exercises aimed at current and emergent seismological studies of glacial dynamics, structure, seismogenic processes, and seismic observables. 45 participants attended, from 16 different countries, including a number of countries with developing Antarctic programs (Switzerland, Canada, Romania, Chile, and Costa Rica). 41 out of 45 participants were ECRs.

• A workshop on ‘Glacial Isostatic Adjustment and Elastic Deformation’was held on September 5-7, 2017, at Grand Hotel Reykjavik, Iceland with more than 80 participants from Europe, North America and Australia. The workshop delivered 10 challenges for the community to work toward in the future.

• A workshop on geothermal heatflux was initiated and hosted in Hobart on 21-23 March 2018. The workshop was attended by a diverse community of about 50 international researchers across the solid Earth-cryosphere sciences who met to discuss current efforts, collaborations and future directions in geothermal heat flux research. Several recommendations for SCAR were drafted.

• SERCE co-sponsored arecentsummer school on Polar Geodesy, held 10-19 May 2018 in Russia. The school was primarily organised by GIANT. All attendees were ECRs.

• Following the 2016 review recommendations, an ECR member has been appointed to the SERCE Management Committee following a call for expressions of interest from APECS (Nadya Yanakieva, Bulgaria).

• SERCE-facing conference sessions have taken place at EGU17/18, AGU17, and IAG. Session proposals were accepted for POLAR2018 and IUGG2019.

• Plans are underway to host a workshop and training school in 2019.

Recommendations

None

SCAR XXXV Delegates Meeting 25-26 June 2018 

SCAR XXXV Paper 11: State of the Antarctic Ecosystem (AntEco)

Agenda Item: 4.1.4

Person Responsible: J. Strugnell & H. Griffiths

Executive Summary

Authors

Jan Strugnell (Australia) & Huw Griffiths (UK), Steering Committee

Summary of activities from 2016-18 and other important matters.

AntEco has been active in three main initiatives since the last report to the Delegates – i) the SCAR Biology Conference in Leuven, Belgium, ii) the Southern Ocean/AntEco scientific expedition to the South Orkney Islands and iii) the Marine Ecosystem Assessment of the Southern Ocean Conference in Hobart, Australia.

AntEco provided support for these initiatives through advocacy, active participation and travel funding.

AntEco continues to coordinate research in line with the objectives of the implementation plan and disseminate the findings through scientific publications and outreach.

AntEco recognises the importance of the SCAR Open Science Conference in June, Polar 2018 as a major opportunity to bring together the community and facilitate workshops and collaborations. We have concentrated our limited funds on travel support for participants (with particular attention to less well-represented SCAR member nationsand early career researchers). We are also allocating funds to planned workshops and meetings.

Recommendations

We, the AntEco steering committee, believe that the community needs to start planning for the next generation of biological themed SRPs. To this end we have been active in encouraging the community in generating ideas and attending  conferences such as MEASO 2018 and PAIS.

SCAR XXXV Delegates Meeting, Davos, Switzerland, 25-26 June 2018

SCAR XXXV Paper 12: Astronomy and Astrophysics from Antarctica (AAA)

Agenda Item: 4.1.5.

Person Responsible: A. Moore et al.

Authors

Professor Anna Moore, Australian National University, Australia, on behalf of the AAA steering committee.

Summary of activities and other important matters

The AAA SRP continues to satisfy the goals of the 2014-2018 operational plan.

During the 2016-18 period, AAA convened and supported both a half day science session and business meeting at the SCAR open science conference in Kuala Lumpur. Four members of the steering committee were rotated as previously presented to SCAR ExCom.

The fourth AAA workshop was hosted by the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT) in Chiang Mai, Thailand on July 31-Aug 4, 2017. Approximately fifty participants attended this meeting from all over the globe to present their work in Antarctic Astronomy at this international forum. There was significant participation from the astronomical community of Thailand and the South-East Asia region at this meeting. AAA will convene the community for a science session and business meeting at Polar2018 in Davos.

The SCAR AAA website has been significantly updated during this period to produce a web portal for all astronomical researchers to access existing data and most recent publications.

Recommendation

The AAA steering committee kindly request EXCOM and the chief officers consider the submitted proposal by the Antarctic Astronomy and Astrophysics community to create a new SCAR Science Group, called ASTRO Sciences, beginning in 2019. 

SCAR XXXV Delegates Meetings, Davos, Switzerland, 25-26 June 2018

SCAR XXXV Paper 13: Antarctic Thresholds – Ecosystem Resilience and Adaptation (AnT-ERA)

Agenda Item: 4.1.6

Person Responsible: J. Gutt et al.

Executive Summary

Authors

Julian Guttwith contributions from SC members (from Argentina, Canada, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Portugal, South Korea, Spain, UK, USA.

Summary of activities from 2016-18 and any other important matters

• Scientific output.Two papers published as a unique product of AnT-ERA. More than 500 additional papers fell into the scope of AnT-ERA.

• Capacity building: (a) Mini-workshop during OSC, 2016; (b) multiplesupport of the 2016 OSC and 2017 SCAR Biology Symposium; (c) approx. 10 additional events co-chaired by SC members, e.g. ANTOSand APECS.

• Dissemination/products. Key “tool” was the dynamic AnT-ERA webpage with ∼100,000 hits between 2013 and 2017. At present announcements for events and job opportunities are sent regularly to the approx. 520 mailing list members. AnT-ERA contributed to a wide range of SCAR products, e.g. ACCE updates,SCAR strategy plan, and initiatives such as IPBES,UNFCCC, and SOOS.

• Support for early-career scientists.16 mini-grants awarded to applicantsfrom approx. 10 countries in 2016 and 6 travel-grants in 2017. Preparation of an AnT-ERA Spring Course in 2018 is in an advanced stage of preparation.

• Research Projects/expeditionsunder the leadership of AnT-ERAscientists: J. Xavier (JR16003), A. Takahashi (JARE-AP0922),D. Cowan (Dry Valleys,Jan 2018). G. di Prisco, TUNU Euro-Arctic Marine Fishes -Diversity and Adaptation(TEAM-fish), V. Cummings (Resilience in Antarctic biota and ecosystems”, expeditions in 2016/17 and 2017/18). L. Peck (Effects of in situ warming on Antarctic benthic biofouling communities, 2015/16, 2016/17).

Recommendations

No recommendations

SCAR XXXV Delegates Meeting, Davos, Switzerland, 25-26 June 2018

SCAR XXXV Paper 14: New Scientific Research Programmes

Agenda Item: 4.2

Person Responsible: S. L. Chown

Executive Summary

Author

Steven L Chown (Australia)

Summary

According to SCAR’s Strategic Plan, Scientific Research Programmes (SRPs) are its flagship science facilitation activities. Currently, six SRPs are underway and will conclude at the end of 2020. These SRPs have modest budgets of US $21,000 per year. Given the convergence of international interests on a few key interdisciplinary research questions over the past eight years, it is proposed that a limited number of next generation SRPs be supported allowing for higher levels of funding and concentration of the SCAR community’s efforts for greatest effect.Two emergent themes, in keeping with the SCAR Antarctic and Southern Ocean Science Horizon Scan outcomes, are: (i) the past and future of ice sheets and their implications for climate, global sea levels, biological systems and society; and (ii) improving our understanding of biodiversity, functioning and conservation of marine and terrestrial biota and ecosystems. Discussions with a variety of stakeholders have indicated that given the interests of many national programs, the Antarctic Treaty Parties and NGOs; and the importance of filling key gaps in knowledge, the potential to leverage external funding in support of programs in these two areas is considerable. Alignment with Future Earth objectives and the International Science Council’s (ISC) encouragement to support research that underpins achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals makes focusing research on these topics highly compelling. While multiple SRP planning group proposals are likely to emerge by 2020, it is suggested that SCAR would be well served by ensuring that the highest priority topics of global interest are addressed.

Recommendations

Delegates consider the proposal to reduce the number of new SRPs and focus on interdisciplinary themes that address timely, Antarctic questions of global societal significance. Delegates recognise that with additional external support for such SRPs, SCAR membership support (i.e., national membership fees) could be directed to other SRPs launched post-2020 as bottom-up, community driven priorities arise.

Summary Budget 2017 to 2020

Budget implications associated with the funding of Programme Planning Groups. Potential multi-fold leveraging of SCAR funds from external sources.

SCAR XXXV Delegates Meeting, Davos, Switzerland, 25-26 June 2018

SCAR XXXV Paper 14a: Proposed Scientific Research Planning Group – Integrated Conservation Planning for Antarctica and the Southern Ocean (Ant-ICON)

Agenda Item: 4.2.1

Person Responsible: A. Terauds

Executive Summary

Aleks Terauds (Australia), core membership group (Appendix 1)

Summary

This paper outlines, in keeping with the Guidelines for SSGs on the Establishment and Operation of SCAR Science Research Programmes, the proposal for the establishment of a Programme Planning Group for developing a Scientific Research Programme (SRP) entitled Integrated Conservation Planning for Antarctica and the Southern Ocean (Ant-ICON).The SRP will answer fundamental science questions (as identified by the SCAR Horizon Scan), relating to the conservation and management of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean and focus on research to drive and inform international decision-making and policy change. For the Planning Group, the initial Chief Officer will be Aleks Terauds (Australia). A second Chief Officer will be identified from the Programme Planning Group as soon as possible. Proposed initial core membership includes 30 members from 12 countries, representing the biological sciences, physical sciences, earth sciences, humanities and social sciences. While there is a strong biological focus for much of the research, the proposed SRP will integrate research from multiple disciplines, complement existing SCAR activities and work with feedback from policy bodies to achieve conservation outcomes in Antarctica and protect Antarctic values. The SRP will focus on four research themes, broadly covering: i) integrated forecasting of future change to support conservation planning; ii) environmental sustainability of human activities in Antarctica; iii) Antarctic conservation in a global context; and iv) socio-ecological approaches to conservation planning.

Recommendation

Delegates to consider the proposal and decide whether to approve the Programme Planning Group Proposal.

SCAR XXXV Delegates Meeting, Davos, Switzerland, 25-26 June 2018

SCAR XXXV Paper 14b: Proposed Scientific Research Programme Planning Group – Near-term Variability and Prediction of the Antarctic Climate System (AntClimNOW)

Agenda Item: 4.2.2.

Person Responsible: T. Bracegirdle and D. Bromwich

Executive Summary

Authors

Tom Bracegirdle (UK)¹, David Bromwich (USA)²

¹Chief Officer of the SCAR Research Programme Antarctic Climate Change in the 21st Century (AntClim21)

²Chief Officer of the SCAR Physical Sciences Group (PSG)

Summary

This paper outlines, in keeping with the Guidelines for SSGs on the Establishment and Operation of SCAR Science Research Programmes, the proposal for the establishment of a Programme Planning Group for developing a Scientific Research Programme (SRP) entitled Near-term Variability and Prediction of the Antarctic Climate System (AntClimnow).The SRP concerns the investigation ofprediction of near-term conditions in the Antarctic climate system on timescales of years to multiple decades. These time scales are highly relevant across multiple disciplines and to a range of key stakeholders whilst aligning strongly with scientific priorities identified as part of the SCAR Horizon Scan.Initial Chief Officers are Tom Bracegirdle (UK) and David Bromwich (USA). The proposed initial core membership is shown in the Appendix and currently includes 18 members from 7 countries, representing the physical sciences and biological sciences. Their range of expertise comprises atmosphere, ocean, ice, chemistry and biology.The Appendix will be updated for the SCAR Delegates meeting in Davos.

Recommendation

Delegates to consider the proposal and decide whether to approve the Programme Planning Group Proposal.

SCAR XXXV Delegates Meeting, Davos, Switzerland, 25-26 June 2018

SCAR XXXV Paper 14c: Proposed Scientific Research Programme Planning Group – Antarctic Ice Sheet Dynamics & Global Sea Level (AISSL)

Agenda Item: 4.2.3

Person Responsible: T. Naish et al.

Executive Summary

Authors

Tim Naish (New Zealand) and Organising Group

Summary

This paper outlines, the proposal for the establishment of a Programme Planning Group for developing a Scientific Research Programme (SRP) provisionally entitled Antarctic Ice Sheet Dynamics and Global Sea Level (AISSL). The SRP addresses a first-order question about Antarctica’s contribution to sea level.

It encompasses geoscience, physical sciences and biological sciences, of the way in which interactions between the ocean, atmosphere and cryosphere have influenced ice-sheets in the past, and what expectations will be in the future with a special focus on quantifying the contributions to global sea level change. Proposed initial Chief Officer is Tim Naish (New Zealand), and another 2 Co-Chief Officers will be identified. Proposed initial core membership includes 55 members from 14 SCAR countries.

The aim of the SRP is to “quantify the Antarctic ice sheet contribution to past and future global sea-level change, from improved understanding of climate, ocean and solid Earth interactions and feedbacks with the ice, so that decision-makers can better anticipate and assess the risk in order to manage and adapt to sea-level rise and evaluate mitigation pathways”.

The proposed programme is structured into 4 themes:

1. Improved understanding of atmosphere-ocean forcing processes of marine-based ice sheet dynamics.

2. Improved understanding of solid Earth feedbacks on ice sheet dynamics and regional sea-level variations.

3. Improved understanding of spatial and temporal changes in Antarctica’s ice sheets during the LGMand deglaciation, and for past “warmer-than-present” interglacials and high C0₂ worlds.

4. Improved projections of Antarctic contribution global sea-level change-consequences and impacts.

The programme better aligns and integrates high-quality research previously conducted within the ANTCLIM21, PAIS, ANTECO and SERCE SRPs, in Themes 1-3 to more effectively quantify future sea-level projections. Themes 1-3 feed into Theme 4, which is policy-facing and will include social scientists to help deliver (e.g.IPCC) and implement revised sea-level projections within a risk assessment/policy context.

The outcomes will include improved projections, and their associated risk profiles that will be of of broad interest to decision-makers, civil society, business, industry, agricultural, infrastructure, finance and insurance sectors.

Recommendations

Delegates to consider the proposal and decide whether to approve establishment of the Programme Planning Group.

SCAR XXXV Delegates Meeting, Davos, Switzerland, 25-26 June 2018

SCAR XXXV Paper 15: Geosciences Group (GSG) Report

Agenda Item: 4.3.1.

Person Responsible: J. Galindo-Zaldívar

Executive Summary

Authors

Jesús Galindo-Zaldívar (Chief Officer, Spain), Naresh C. Pant (Deputy Chief Officer, India), Marcelo Leppe (Secretary, Chile) Contributions of Chief Officers of Expert Groups and Action Groups.

Summary of activities and other important issues

SG-Geosciences include 6 expert and 4 action groups, two of them cross-disciplinary. A new group is being proposed (AntArchitecture) shared with PSG. Groups are active, and organize scientific sessions and meetings in general symposia, workshops and also promote specific meetings. Their activities include the production of bathymetric, magnetic and geological maps. In addition, groups aim to identify long term data sets, developing technical manuals and field researches to continue the observations (e.g.GNSS measurements, geophysical and geological observations). Publications of results are envisaged in high-profile international geoscientific journals and special volumes. It is also remarkable the preparation of information papers (e.g. conservation strategies for Antarctic geological and geomorphological features, including fossils, with the aims that SCAR will delivery advice on this matter to CEP, ATS).These groups develop essential activities to analyze the characteristics and evolution of the solidearth and the external processes.

Recommendations

1. Approve AntArchitecture as a joint GS PS Action Group.

2. Considering that the “SCAR’s Environmental Code of Conduct for Terrestrial Scientific Field Research in Antarctica” was approved at the 41st ATCM, with the modification to the recommendation that long-term installations be retained if “identified as useful for longer-term monitoring and/or research”, it is recommended that the SCAR Delegates Meeting endorses a resolution that (a) all national programs retain their geodetic monuments, and (b) provide data on these monuments to the SCAR GIANT EG for archiving in a long-term database.

3. SERCE Recommend scientistssupport the measurement of thermal gradients and conductivities in crystalline bedrock and sediments. Also recommend scientists derive and make available radiogenic heat production rates for Antarctic archive rock samples and outcropping lithologies.

SCAR XXXV Delegates Meeting, Davos, Switzerland, 25-26 June 2018

SCAR XXXV Paper 16: Life Sciences Group (LSG) Report

Agenda Item: 4.3.2.

Person Responsible: Yan Ropert-Coudert et al.

Executive Summary

Authors

Yan Ropert-Coudert (CO, FRANCE), Marc Shepanek (Deputy CO, USA), Ian McDonald (Sec., New Zealand)

Summary of activities from 2016-18 and other important issues

Life Sciences group heads or their representatives have been attending a number of meetings (OSC Kuala Lumpur in 2016, Monaco Assessment workshop in Monaco in 2017, SCAR Biology Symposium in Leuven 2017, MEASO in Hobart in 2018), while managing the budgets of the different subgroups. Life Sciences participated to the elaboration of several Information papers, including #53 (Code of Conduct on Wildlife Use for Scientific Purpose). Three new AGs will be proposed in Davos: Input Pathways of persistent organic pollutants to AntarCTica (ImPACT) (LS and PS), Plastics in Polar Environments (PLASTIC-AG) (LS and PS) and SCAR Krill Action Group (SKAG) (LS).

Recommendations

EXCOM and Scientific Group Chief Officers should:

• Approve the three new Action Groups.

• Approve Action Group BEPSII as an Expert group

• Approve Action Group Remote Sensing extending for 2 more years 

• Approve Action Group ISSA to extend for one more year

SCAR XXXV Delegates Meeting, Davos, Switzerland, 25-26 June 2018

SCAR XXXV Paper 17: Physical Sciences Group (PSG) Report

Agenda Item: 4.3.3.

Person Responsible: D. Bromwich et al.

Executive Summary

Authors

David H Bromwich (USA), Adriana Gulisano (Argentina), Steven Colwell (UK)

Summary of activities and other important issues

Of the many research, meetings, and publishing activities by the 14 active groups that come under PSG selected highlights are:

• IPICS Expert Group (EG): Publication of synthesis papers on the 2000-year behavior of temperature and snow accumulation over Antarctica.

• ISMASS EG: Organized a workshop on the impact of 1.5°C global warming on the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets and the resulting contribution to sea level rise. A review paper was prepared.

• GRAPE EG: Coordinating/leading efforts addressed to the new Scientific Research Programproposal RESOURCE (Radio Sciences Research on AntarctiC AtmospherE).

• SORP EG: Organized a joint meeting with the Year of Polar Prediction in the Southern Hemisphere (YOPP-SH) effort that lead to the continuation of the Ocean Observatories Initiative buoy (west of Drake Passage) through the YOPP-SH Special Observing Period, mid Nov. 2018-mid February 2019.

• ANTOS EG: Created a survey to identify candidates for new terrestrial and marine observing sites.

• Remote Sensing Action Group (AG): Initiated a request to the European Space Agency to extend Sentinel-2 satellite coverageto Antarctica to identify new penguin colonies.

• ACA AG: Development and submission of European Union Horizon 2020 proposal looking at clouds over the Southern Ocean that will (if funded) include a wide range of European partners but also Chile and US project partners.

Recommendations

• Disband SERAnt AG that has been dormant and its functions subsumed under GRAPE EG.

• Four new groups will likely be proposed to the Delegates at Davos. With the present limited monies for PSG, the funding for up to 18 groups in 2019-2020 is very challenging to provide worthwhile amounts.

• Encourage SCAR members to update meteorological station data for their stations in the WMO OSCAR/SURFACE system https://oscar.wmo.int/surface//index.html#/

• Encourage SCAR members to make meteorological data available to Steve Colwell [email protected] updating the SCAR READER database http://legacy.bas.ac.uk/met/READER 

SCAR XXXV Delegates Meeting, Davos, Switzerland, 25-26 June 2018

SCAR XXXV Paper 18: Humanities and Social Sciences Group Proposal 

Agenda Item: 4.3.4.

Person Responsible: D. Liggett, E. Leane and C. Lüdecke

Executive Summary

Authors

Elizabeth Leane (AUS), Daniela Liggett (NZ), and Cornelia Lüdecke (GER)

Summary

Our proposal is to establish a permanent Humanities and Social Sciences Group (HSSG) within SCAR. The key aim of such a group, analogous to the existing Science Groups, would be to initiate, develop and coordinate rigorous and high quality international research on the Antarctic region within the Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS); to provide independent advice to the ATCMs on issues requiring disciplinary expertise outside the natural sciences; and to coordinate with existing science groups on issues that call for a multidisciplinary approach.

Recommendation

Delegates approve the formation of a Humanities and Social Sciences Group (HSSG).