Convenors: Anton Van de Putte

The Antarctic and Southern Ocean (ASO) region is a unique environment that is relatively untouched by human activities but host ecosystems are at high risk due to climate change and other stressors.

While our understanding of ASO biological processes (for example, species distributions, feeding ecology, and reproduction) has substantially increased in recent years, biological data for the region is still fragmented, poor, and unstandardized depending on the taxa. Ecosystem-based management in Antarctica, including the establishment of designated zones (such as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), Antarctic Specially Protected Areas (ASPAs), and Antarctic Specially Managed Areas (ASMAs), necessitates consistent monitoring and data.

To transform observations and information into policy-ready advice, a distributed IT infrastructure is required, which allows for the creation of indicators, evaluations, projections, and suitable judgements.

Essential variables (EVs) are quantitative factors used to monitor the state and trends of various Earth system components. They provide a standardised and comparative method for tracking changes across time and place, allowing scientists and policymakers to make sound decisions regarding environmental management and conservation.

Both terrestrial and marine environments contain a variety of crucial variables. Examples include Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBVs), Essential Ocean Variables (EOVs), Essential Climate Variables (ECVs), and Ecosystem Essential Ocean Variables.

This workshop aims to bring people together to discuss ongoing efforts to develop such essential variables, offer feedback, and help shape future actions, collaborations, and priorities.

Convenors: Antje Boetius

This workshop will gather SCAR members to discuss the next steps of the preparatory phase of the UN Ocean Decade regional program “International Infrastructure for Synchronous Observation (Antarctica InSync) – A Science Mission for Antarctica and the Southern Ocean in 2027-2030”. As a contribution to the SCAR Decade Collaborative Centre (DCC), Antarctica InSync sets out to bring together national Antarctic programs and other stakeholders in Southern Ocean observation and environmental protection, to achieve collaborative and synergetic actions. Simultaneous research carried out by many, all-around ocean, ice, atmosphere and biodiversity studies with similar approaches, common methods and shared goals has hardly been carried out in this region. Key knowledge gaps will be addressed, including circumpolar assessments of fluxes and dynamics, heat transport, ice behaviour, primary production and CO2 budgets, and the distribution of key species in Antarctica and the surrounding waters. Data will be shared and managed according to FAIR principles, and capacity for the International Polar Year and beyond will be developed. The proposed program attempts to bring everyone on board to significantly enhance sustainable science for the coming decade of change in the Antarctic region. With this ambition, the programme will contribute to a number of policy processes and scientific frameworks with the Antarctic Treaty System (e.g., ATCM, CCAMLR, CEP).

With a preparatory phase from 2024-2027, and a field phase from 2027-2029, as well as a synthesis phase in 2029-2030, the proposed Antarctica InSync Research Programme will provide a framework for international collaboration to implement a number of actions addressing key UN Decade challenges. The workshop invites representatives of bottom-up scientific processes in addressing challenges in synchronous pan-Southern Ocean and pan-Antarctica research and national program and infrastructure leaders to present an outlook to their planned activities.

Convenors: Eoghan Griffin

The initial stage of the Southern Ocean contribution to the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development culminated in the publication in April 2022 of the Southern Ocean Action Plan by the Southern Ocean Task Force, a committee coordinated by SCAR. The Plan aimed to mobilise the Southern Ocean community and inspire all stakeholders to seek engagement and leverage opportunities to deliver innovative solutions that address the Decade goals for the Southern Ocean. This framework provides a roadmap to strengthen links between science, industry and policy, as well as to encourage internationally collaborative activities in order to address existing gaps in our knowledge and data coverage.

In order to support the implementation of the Southern Ocean Action Plan, and in consultation with the Decade Coordination Unit, an application for Decade Collaborative Centre (DCC) was prepared in early 2023 and approved by the UN Decade Advisory Board in June 2023. It was announced as the Decade Collaborative Centre for the Southern Ocean Region (DCC-SOR) on World Oceans Day, June 8th. The stated goals for the DCC-SOR are to enhance collaboration, promote the effective co-design of science, and optimize the use of resources among the diverse stakeholders. It will also facilitate the creation of synergies and links between existing Southern Ocean Decade Actions, catalyse new actions, and enhance technical and scientific capacity related to the Southern Ocean. The Southern Ocean Task Force will continue as an advisory body for the DCC-SOR.

The DCC-SOR will support future endorsed Decade Actions relating to the Southern Ocean with capacity development, communications, tracking of progress and resource mobilisation. It will also act as a hub for catalysing new partnerships and initiatives as part of the Decade and build on the existing solid foundation of the Southern Ocean community.

This workshop will provide practical advice on how to engage with the UN Decade through the DCC-SOR. This will include mapping out what large initiatives can bring to the table for SCAR Groups and partners, and identifying needs including in terms of logistics, data and open access.

Convenors: Skye Moret

It is becoming increasingly important to create compelling and accessible figures and graphics that convey research insights coming from within and around the Antarctic continent. However, graphical literacy, information hierarchy, and design principles are rarely included in curricula and professional development for most scientists. This workshop offers an overview of the important elements of information design and visual data-encoding that are often overlooked in the creation of scientific figures, graphics, visual abstracts, tables, and information visuals created for a more public audience.

As they directly relate to the creation of compelling figures and graphics and while offering examples and software tips, we will explore graphic design principles such as typography, color, layout, visual hierarchy, accessibility, and the use of grey as a secret weapon; the use of iconography; opensource software for data-driven graphics; scalar considerations; annotations, and more. The workshop will conclude with specific examples highlighting the cognitive and engagement affordances of visual design in scientific figures and public-oriented data-driven graphics.

This workshop is led by an information designer and data visualization strategist with experience in Antarctic science, scientific writing, journalism, museum and non-profit engagement, and browser-based data-driven interfaces for both public and domain-specific information consumers.

Convenors: Mariama Dryák-Vallies, José Quierós

With the next International Polar Year (IPY) just around the corner in 2032-2033, planning for determining which big scientific questions to prioritize within these discussions has already begun. Given that the established research priorities during the IPY will provide guidance for steering the research of early career researchers for the next 25+ years, it is important to make sure that input from the polar early career community is considered during these upcoming IPY discussions. This workshop will develop a first draft of these priority and inform the 2025 Polar Early Career World Summit that is being organized by the Polar Science Early Career Community Office (PSECCO) and the Association for Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS). We plan to use this international gathering of members of the Antarctic early career community to start collating ideas around multi-disciplinary early career priorities for Antarctic science. Outcomes from the brainstormed ideas at the workshop will be collated and used to inform world summit planning conversations in 2025.

Convenors: Odile Volonterio

The aim of this workshop is to carry out a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis as a starting point to exchange ideas about the state of polar research within the Iberoamerican community in APECS, and to explore the potential of working together to advance polar studies. During the workshop, participants will discuss the specific factors that help or hinder polar research in their respective countries and identify potential opportunities and risks. They will brainstorm ideas for improvement and pinpoint areas for collaboration and synergy. This process will also strengthen historical bonds and highlight the shared cultural heritage in the community. To encourage wider participation, the workshop will be conducted in a hybrid format in both the Portuguese and Spanish languages.

Additional convenors and involved people:

(Countries and names in alphabetical order)

APECS Argentina (apecs.argentina@gmail.com):

• Alfredo «Alpio» Costa*, Departamento de Cs. Atmosféricas, Instituto Antártico Argentino (IAA/DNA).
• María Victoria Quiroga, Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús (CONICET-UNSAM); Escuela de Bio y Nanotecnologías (UNSAM), Argentina.
• Martina Mascioni*, División Ficología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Argentina; CONICET.
• Valeria Casa*, Instituto de Investigación e Ingeniería Ambiental (IIIA-UNSAM-CONICET); Escuela de Hábitat y Sostenibilidad (EHyS).  

APECS Brazil (presidenciaapecsbrasil@gmail.com):

• Raphael Fernandes Vieira*, Instituto de Relaciones Internacionales, Universidad Nacional de La Plata (IRI-UNLP), Argentina.
• Renan Lima*, Instituto de Oceanografía de la Universidade Federal de Rio Grande.

APECS Chile (apecs.chile@gmail.com):

• Alfredo José Torres*, Universidad San Sebastián, Valdivia.
• Claudia Maturana*, Instituto Milenio BASE, Centro Internacional Cabo de Hornos.
• Cristián Castillo*. Antarctic Youth Coalition (Punta Arenas); Antarctic Environments Portal, SCAR (translation group volunteer).
• Johanna Marambio*, Universidad de Magallanes, Centro Internacional Cabo de Hornos.
• Julia Saravia*. Universidad Austral de Chile, Instituto Milenio BASE y Centro IDEAL.
• María Estrella Alcamán*, Facultad de Ingeniería, Centro de Investigacion en Tecnologias para la Sociedad, Universidad del Desarrollo.
• Melisa Gañán*, Instituto Milenio de Biodiversidad de Ecosistemas Antárticos y Subantárticos (BASE); Centro Internacional Cabo de Hornos (CHIC).
• Renato Borras-Chavez*, Department of Biology, Baylor University.
• Sebastián Rosenfeld*, Universidad de Chile, Instituto MIlenio BASE, Centro Internacional Cabo de Hornos.

APECS Colombia (apecscolombia@gmail.com):

• Dalia C. Barragán Barrera, R&E Ocean Community Conservation, APECS Colombia member.
• Diego Fernando Mojica Moncada*, NC represent APECS Colombia.
• Jhon Fredy Mojica-Moncada, AOML-NOAA, NC represent APECS Colombia.

APECS Mexico (apecsmx@gmail.com):

• Ximena Aguilar Vega*, University of Stirling.

APECS Portugal (apecsportugal@gmail.com):

• Hugo Guímaro*, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Portugal.
• Joana Fragão*, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Portugal.
• José Queirós*, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Portugal.

APECS Spain (apecs.spain@gmail.com):

• Pablo Almela, College of Biological Sciences, University of Minnesota Twin Cities.
• Sofía Galban Méndez*, Departamento de Biología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, España.

APECS Uruguay (apecsuruguay@gmail.com):

• Alana Caraballo*, student, Centro Universitario Regional del Este, Universidad de la República.
• Giovana Gerosa*, student, Centro de Altos Estudios Nacionales (C.AL.E.N.).  

APECS former Executive Committe member:

• Gabriela Roldan, Gateway Antarctica, University of Canterbury (Nueva Zelandia).

Convenors: Dr. Thiago Teixeira Mendes – UFBA/Brasil, Dra. Rosa Maria Esteves Arantes – UFMG/Brazil, Dra. Paola Barros Delben – APECS/UFSC/ UNISUL Brazil, Daniela Silvestre – UFSC/Brazil

Isolated, confined, and extreme (ICE) conditions, like those experienced in Antarctica, can impact human health, including its medical, physical, mental, and psychosocial components. The ICE context is influenced by food, environmental lighting, air temperature, humidity, level of physical activity, sensory and social restrictions, and potentially dangerous situations. These conditions contribute to changes in quality of life, mood state, lifestyle, and sleep, detectable by inflammatory markers, microbiome profile, body composition, and sonography.

Preventive efforts to prepare expeditioners should encompass a multidisciplinary approach, given the challenging conditions inherent in an ICE environment. Preparation includes addressing occupational physical demands, psychological and psychosocial changes, and physiological alterations commonly associated with neurohumoral shifts, dehydration, altered sleep patterns, and autonomic variations. A practice protocol for expedition members could include pre-Antarctic training aimed at preventing critical events, evacuations, and suffering among the team, both during the expedition and upon their return.

Adopting a multidisciplinary perspective, we propose the present workshop to bring to the forefront an enhanced panorama of the effects of an ICE environment on human physiology and the health of participants engaged in Antarctic operations.

The aim of the workshop is to discuss potential health problems related to prolonged or short stays in Antarctica, possible prevention strategies, and psychophysiological markers/measures that can assist in understanding and monitoring these conditions. Additionally, to share tools and methods, we propose the presentation of standard tests for physical monitoring, techniques used in the field, including interactive questionnaire applications, and the use of sensing devices and small equipment to monitor the participants’ physiological responses, in addition to possible resources to aid with early preparation for Antarctica.

Convenors: Keltoum Boumedjane

What makes a «sentinel» in Antarctic and sub-Antarctic territory? What is the practical, scientific or strategic use of this notion? Do physicists, biologists or anthropologists have the same definition of this category of «sentinel territory»? How does it differ from the notion of observatory, laboratory, outpost or critical zone? Does an Antarctic sentinel territory have the same scope as a sub-Antarctic sentinel territory? How can we articulate spatial scales to transpose relevant data to other contexts around the globe? What are the challenges of using the same concept in different ways and in different disciplines?

We will explore these cross-cutting and complementary issues through an interdisciplinary approach and a participatory action research methodology led by a geophysicist, and a nature anthropologist. The workshop is divided into three stages: an initial ice-breaking phase to problematize the diversity and complexity of the notion (1), followed by work in small groups mixed according to disciplines around a few key questions (2), and finally a restitution phase through co-production of knowledge (3). Indeed, the final goal is to build together, by coproduction of knowledge, a map of the concept of «sentinel territories» for the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic territories.

This workshop is an exploratory step towards the possible creation of an interdisciplinary action group, that involves natural sciences and the humanities and social sciences, around «sentinel territories» for cross-cutting issues such as health monitoring for infectious diseases, biodiversity collapse, climate change, ocean acidification, etc…, all environmental issues that mobilize the notion of sentinel territory, and for which it is useful to identify variations and invariants in order to:
1) enrich the conceptual contribution of the notion in one’s own professional practice, for researchers or actors who use it
2) gain a better understanding of the notion’s contours, and mobilize it strategically in a communications context
3) use it as a collaborative tool between disciplines and between projects in the name of a same «sentinel territory».

Convenors: Maria Oliver

SC-HASS has in the past during their biennial conferences came across many fictional literatures, as well as books about humans in the Antarctic Environment. Antarctic writing and writers are crucial to keep track of all the ventures and displayed a certain concept of humanities. Even films of a fictional nature have been produced. In all the SCAR countries there must have been many books published since 1960. Many books have been published on Shackleton’s and Scott’s expeditions and that is just Tow expeditioners, there are many more publications such as biographies and diaries. This workshop wants to highlight books that has been published that highlight the human element of Antarctic science, including fictional works.

Aim:
The aim of the workshop is to create awareness on writing and writers within the SCAR community and to highlight books that have been published in the past. It will create a space for writers to talk to one another and for delegates to see what has been written.
Motivation:
If you want to read or write in the humanities in the Antarctic environment, this workshop is for you to see what kind of publications are available in the humanities. You can either start reading or writing and fill the gaps in publications, even write your own biography. A well told story can fill the gap of knowledge surrounding the interactions between Antarctic scientific disciplines:

• Stories can link human personalities and science.
• Many more stories to tell of a human nature that involve science?
• Many stories of science that are inspired by human personalities?

In the words of the SCAR president, Dr Yeadong Kim “SCAR highly values scientific collaboration that enables us to answer big science questions that are impossible to address as an individual nation or programme. SCAR will continue to lead and promote advancing scientific knowledge in the Antarctic.” Publications is a form of promoting science and research. Publications can make engagement with public easier and stories makes science easier accessible to the public.

Convenors: Maria Oliver

Scientific Committee on Antarctic Data Management (SCADM) within Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) states the following:
“Data and information are valuable and irreplaceable resources. Proper management of data and information is not an “add-on” or an additional task; it is a fundamental aspect of modern science.

In the pursuit of various scientific objectives, it is often necessary to use data and information collected by scientists from many countries. SCAR recognizes the critical and essential importance of the stewardship of data and information within national and international programmes and its accessibility to all.”

The main aim of the workshop is the promotion of Antarctic Data Management. This workshop has two objectives:
1. Provide a space for all working and scientific groups and institutions that host a repository to be able to display or demonstrate if times allow it during this workshop.
2. SCADM members will be available to discuss the Data management policy of SCAR (SCAR Report 42). They will also provide information on data management to established and early career researchers.Data and information are valuable resources. Proper management of data and information is a fundamental aspect of modern science and research. Stewardship of data and information within national and international programmes and its accessibility to all is important. This workshop will provide a display of these resources and simultaneously provide guidance and resources for those researchers that are still organising their data.The workshop will create a space to showcase established databases that can be used by the SCAR community. The organisers would like to invite all database owners to display their databases and make themselves available to discuss it and even demonstrate if time allows it.The format will be as and exhibition of databases with a space where delegates can discuss data management with SCADM members.

Convenors: Svenja Halfter

The Southern Ocean is home to Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the southern shelf of the South Orkney Islands (established in 2009) and the Ross Sea region (established in 2016), though neither currently has internationally agreed research and monitoring programs. Furthermore, four other proposals are under development by CCAMLR in East Antarctica, the Weddell Sea (Phase 1 and Phase 2), and the Antarctic Peninsula. There are also MPA established within the Economic Exclusive Zones of several subantarctic islands. Each is uniquely configured in a way to achieve defined conservation goals, though all are part of a growing representative network of MPA around Antarctica.

To understand the efficacy of any spatial management approach, high-quality scientific information is required. Research can help set up best practices for monitoring, selecting indicators of change, and establishing baselines based on how the management goals are defined. However, it is not always clear to the science community what the potential complexities of area-based management approaches such as MPA are, what science is needed to monitor MPAs effectively and how this science is then best communicated to reach policymakers responsible for achieving the management goals.

The SCAR Scientific Research programme Ant-ICON plans a workshop to discuss the science and monitoring needs of marine spatial management in the Southern Ocean and how we can contribute to improving the coordination of existing national efforts. Points of discussion will be the value of MPAs for the management of the Southern Ocean, what capabilities are available for the degree of monitoring required and what cutting-edge Southern Ocean science is currently not considered by SC-CAMLR. We will bring together experts from different groups and disciplines within the SCAR community in a plenary discussion and are interested in additional input from all attendees. A planned output from this workshop is a publication.

Confirmed speakers:

• Mercedes Santos – Instituto Antartico Argentino, Argentina
• Cassandra Brooks – University of Colorado Boulder, USA
• Andrew Lowther – Norwegian Polar Institute, Norway

Convenors: Megan Dewar

This workshop will focus on the arrival of HPAI in to the Antarctic region during the 2023-24 Austral Summer and preparations for 2024-25 Austral Summer season when HPAI returns. Some of the topics covered will include

– SCAR HPAI Monitoring Project

– Lessons learnt in responding to HPAI outbreaks

– Examples of Surveillance Methods

– Current Risk Assessment and Recommendations from the Antarctic Wildlife Health Network

– Discussions on how to prepare for next season

Convenors: Luis Huckstadt and Andrea Piñones

The Antarctic marine environment is currently experiencing record-breaking low sea ice conditions. As of October 2023, sea ice extent reached a continent-wide anomaly > 1.69 MM km2 less than average and the trend has continued in 2024, likely marking a regime shift and the beginning of a long-term decline in Antarctic sea ice. These new conditions will invariably impact Antarctica’s unique marine ecosystems, which have long been identified as particularly susceptible to anthropogenic climate change. The effects of these record-breaking low sea ice conditions will range from impacts on the rate of primary productivity to modifications in the structure and fluxes of the food webs, and changes in the spatial distribution and demography of several species.

As members of the Antarctic scientific community, we face the urgency of the challenge to document and quantify the effects of this sharp reduction in sea ice on the marine ecosystem at a time when several countries’ Antarctic research programs are under the stress of budget cuts and face serious limitations to support the field work necessary during this critical time.

This workshop will allow the extended community of Antarctic marine scientists to gather and have the opportunity to discuss and identify the challenges that the new environmental conditions pose for the entire marine ecosystem, evaluate the research priorities, and make recommendations to the wider community and polar research programs about what steps should be taken in order to understand how the whole ecosystem, energy and trophic fluxes are impacted by the recent low sea ice and better understand the impacts of climate change.

Convenors: Michelle LaRue, Cassandra Brooks, Cara Nissen, Sharon Stammerjohn, John Weller, George Watters, Grant Ballard

Marine protected areas (MPAs) are powerful conservation tools, including in managing for climate change resilience. To be effective, MPAs need to be well-managed, including active and coordinated research and monitoring. The Commission on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) has adopted the world’s largest in the Ross Sea, Antarctica, which came into force in 2017. Despite active research and monitoring for more than six years, gaps remain in topical and geographic coverage. Further, much of the ongoing science is not policy-driven or designed to assess the effectiveness of the MPA. Most research is being conducted by national science programs in isolation rather than collaboratively, without optimal sharing of data, infrastructure and resources. Finally, scientists who are not representatives to CCAMLR do not have an obvious pathway for integrating their research into policy.

To prepare for the 10-year review of the RSRMPA in 2027, we seek to convene a workshop to discuss research coordination networks for the Ross Sea region MPA. The overarching goal will be to make progress towards establishing a robust collaborative international interdisciplinary network that integrates management and science, inclusive of Southern Ocean stakeholders. To this end, we seek wide engagement from the SCAR OSC community. During the workshop, we will discuss the policy needs and relevant ecosystem metrics for evaluating the Ross Sea region MPA. We will also discuss three scientific approaches that have been highlighted for potential research and monitoring in the MPA: biophysical modeling; observations, monitoring, and process studies; and data science and cyberinfracture. Finally, we will discuss how to ensure an MPA network is grounded in stakeholder, public and education engagement. We will also solicit sharing of ongoing efforts and opportunities for collaborative research and monitoring in the Ross Sea region MPA, including exploring how to work with vessels of opportunity and new funding sources. There is now an important opportunity to coordinate across the science, data, and policy communities to ensure that CCAMLR’s 2027 review and subsequent reviews are grounded in robust policy-informed scientific data and analyses. For future engagement, workshop attendees will be invited to the Ross Sea research listserv.

Convenors: Tom Bracegirdle

Expression of interest to attend workshop

It is increasingly clear that there is a need for an annual report on the Antarctic climate system, describing both the state of the system and important science advances. This need comes from a range of Antarctic stakeholders including scientists, policymakers and logistics operators. In previous years annual reports were compiled as part of the legacy of the 2009 Antarctic Climate Change and the Environment (ACCE) report. These reports included short summaries of key science updates suitable for communicating to a wide audience of both scientists and non-scientists. However, in recent years they have ceased to be produced.

The need for an annual report has been discussed across a number of groups, both within and outside SCAR including: WCRP Climate and the Cryosphere (CliC), CCAMLR, and the SCAR AntClimNow SRP. In recognising this need, it is important to discuss potential options for the concept of an annual report on the Antarctic climate system. This workshop will be a follow-on from a planned online meeting on this topic in early-mid NH summer. The main aim will therefore be to discuss the outcomes of this earlier online meeting and address any outstanding points that need agreeing. Representatives from interested groups (such as the above-listed) and individuals are welcome to contribute to this workshop.

Key points and questions for discussion will likely include:
1. Integration with the new Antarctic Climate Indicators project, which is an AntClimNow activity.
2. Assess what can be learned from existing relevant annual climate reports. Key examples are:
o the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society annual State of the Climate report (specifically the section on Antarctica and the Southern Ocean),
o The NOAA Arctic report card, and
o Previous ACCE annual updates and reports.
3. How would an annual Antarctic climate report be organised? Specifically:
o Could a SCAR group be created, perhaps with cosponsors including WCRP-CliC?
o What would be the scope both scientifically and in terms defining the audience?
o How best to ensure that the community view is represented.
o How would a report be structured and how would the writing/input be organised?

Convenors: Irina Gorodetskaya, Tom Bracegirdle, Rachel Cavanagh, Daniela Liggett, Jilda Caccavo, Florence Colleoni, Clare Eayrs, Mercedes Santos, Dieter Tetzner, Pranab Deb

Expression of interest to attend workshop

The aim of the workshop is to join three SCAR programs – AntClimNow, INSTANT and AntICON – around the topic of extreme events to unite the communities on addressing issues related to extreme events, including 1 – understanding how extreme events affect the atmosphere, ocean, ice and ecosystems, 2 – considering what this means for policy-makers in addressing/responding to these effects/impacts. A specific expected outcome of the workshop will be to recommend actions for how to address the increasing frequency and amplitude in extreme events and their impacts on the Antarctic environment and ecosystems. This interdisciplinary workshop will include the following themes (and is open to other themes proposed by the community):
– atmospheric rivers including all complexity of their drivers and impacts (atmosphere, ocean, ecosystems);
– the effects of extreme events both on terrestrial and ocean ecosystems;
– defining the role of extremes in tipping points (physical and ecological);
– sea ice (and its record-low extent in recent years) and its links and impacts on ecosystems;
– climate forcing of extreme events and how the extreme events are expected to change under future climate forcing scenarios;
– major melt events over ice shelves (surface melting) – its predictability and impacts;
– occurrence of complex extreme events (including compound events);
– marine heatwaves and ice-ocean interaction;
– timescales of response of different systems to extreme events (i.e., what is extreme in biology may not be extreme in other systems thus we need to understand critical extreme thresholds and extremes in different systems);
– Implications for human activities in the Antarctic and Southern Ocean (science, tourism, fishing, SAR activities and other operations);
– Considerations from an environmental governance and management perspective;
– Risks to the environment, infrastructure, and human lives.

Convenors: Verónica Willmott Puig

POLARIN is an EU funded project that pools an international network of polar research infrastructures and their services, aiming at addressing the scientific challenges of the polar regions. The network includes a wide array of complementary and interdisciplinary top level research infrastructures: Arctic and Antarctic research stations, research vessels and icebreakers operating at both poles, observatories, data infrastructures and ice and sediment core repositories. POLARIN will provide integrated, challenge-driven, and combined access to these infrastructures to facilitate interdisciplinary research on complex processes.

POLARIN will run for five years (March 2024 to February 2029). This session is intended to give an overview of POLARIN activities in the coming years and what to expect from this project.

Convenors: Alice K. DuVivier, Cassandra Brooks, Zephyr Sylvester, John Weller and Nikki Bransome

Antarctic polynyas – open water areas within the sea ice – are locations of high primary productivity and frequent use by upper trophic predators throughout the year. While temporally transient and relatively small in spatial footprint, these biological «hot spots» have an outsized impact on the Southern Ocean ecosystem and may be important towards conserving Antarctic biodiversity. This workshop will focus on testing a web-based tool currently under development that identifies Antarctic coastal ecological hotspots. The tool will highlight an ecological index developed from data on primary production, krill growth, Emperor and Adelie penguin populations, and Southern Elephant Seal movements. Data included in this index are: future projections based on data from Earth System Models that include a biogeochemical component, ecological demographic models, and in-situ bio tracking. We seek to identify if the spatial areas that are ecological hotspots are changing in time. We focus on coastal areas near polynyas in regions where Southern Ocean Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) have been adopted or proposed. This workshop seeks 1) scientific feedback on how the ecological index identifies biological hotspots that are important for protection and 2) the useability of the web-based tool for scientists and policy-makers alike. We invite all SCAR workshop attendees to participate in this workshop.

Convenors: John Lyons

A chance to learn how to use statistical tools like MATLAB and R to detect regime shifts in Antarctica and discover the possible causes for them. We will learn how to start using MATLAB and R, import Antarctic animal data into them, and find points of interest. Then by loading climate data, we can try to understand what is causing the regime shift.

Convenors: Mariama Dryák-Vallies

Please register in advance by 4th August.

Addressing 21st century change in Antarctica necessitates the broadest possible participation in research to find solutions to these ongoing challenges. This workshop will be focused on 1) how diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts vary across different international contexts; 2) exploring with those in attendance how we can learn from one another across countries about how to welcome all into the Antarctic research community; and 3) creating a plan for pursuing DEI action through coordinated, synergistic activities. The workshop is open to all who are interested, and aims to generate awareness in the community about various DEI issues that relate to and affect a spectrum of issues, including politics, research and logistics. In stimulating these conversations and developing actions that address issues of DEI on an international scale, our goal is to create a safer working environment for everyone in the Antarctic community, which will ultimately encourage broader participation.

Convenors: Renuka Badhe and Marije Tempel

Minimising environmental footprints of polar research is on the forefront of all polar programs. This session will look at various ways of accessing the polar regions without impacting the quality of the research, by discussing the different modalities of accessing the Antarctic, and will provide examples from the project INTERACT – that has led the way in providing transnational, virtual and remote access to the Arctic regions.

The International Network for Terrestrial Research and Monitoring in the Arctic (INTERACT) is an infrastructure project that consists of a network of currently 74 terrestrial field bases in the Arctic region and European alpine areas. INTERACT specifically seeks to build capacity for research and monitoring all over the Arctic, and is offering access to numerous research stations through the Transitional Access Program.

Our aim for this session is to facilitate an exchange of best practices and relevant knowledge on different modalities of access (transnational, virtual and remote) and citizen science between the Arctic and Antarctic region.

Convenors: Nadia Frontier and Odile Volonterio

A session jointly organized by the UK Polar Network (UKPN) and Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS) Uruguay highlighting the importance of international collaborations towards the development of Early Career Researchers, followed by a guidance session from experienced Antarctic Researchers about polar fieldwork. They will share their personal experiences and give advice about conducting field work tailored towards those planning their first research projects. The second part of the workshop will include icebreaker activities to give ECR participants the opportunity to meet, exchange insights and explore collaboration possibilities. This will be run in the format of a speed-science session

Convenors: Kenichi Matsuoka

The SCAR product «Quantarctica» offers a free geospatial dataset covering Antarctica, the Southern Ocean, and sub-Antarctic islands, working with the QGIS free GIS software. It seamlessly integrates scientific data, satellite imagery, and base maps, featuring advanced cartography to cater to users across office and field settings, even without internet access. Although Version 3, released in 2017, has been widely utilized, its scientific data is becoming outdated.

The forthcoming release of Version 4 in 2024 will introduce freshly curated scientific datasets spanning various disciplines. This workshop aims to unveil the new features of Quantarctica Version 4, showcasing the newly incorporated datasets, and foster engagement with users and potential users to fully leverage its capabilities.

Convenors: Laura Lindzey

The QIceRadar project at UW APL is developing a data index and associated QGIS plugin that enable scientists to discover where ice penetrating radar data exists, download the radargrams (for publicly-released lines), and visualize these data in context with other geological datasets. It will be released to the general research community during the 2024 SCAR-OSC, and this workshop will help early users get started with the tool. Our goal is to lower the barriers currently involved in accessing and using these data.

The workshop will begin with a presentation reviewing the state of openly-available ice penetrating radar data, followed by a walk-through of QIceRadar’s features. We will leave ample time for hands-on support to help researchers get started using QIceRadar.

Attendees should bring their own laptops with QGIS + Quantarctica already installed.

Convenors: Cassandra Brooks, Vasco Chavez-Molina, Louise Teh, Luis Pertierra and Elizabeth Francis

Few studies have investigated ecosystem services of the Antarctic (e.g., Grant et al. 2013; Cavanagh et al. 2021; Rogers et al. 2020; Pertierra et al. 2021). Assessing non-use values (e.g., diplomacy, carbon sequestration) has been especially difficult. Recent work on Antarctic ecosystem services has suggested there are significant trade-offs between the different human uses and services. For example, human uses may highly compromise the biospheric values of the region (Pertierra et al. 2021). Other trade-offs, including climate regulation services, have not been measured either quantitatively or qualitatively. Given the suggested global value of the Antarctic to global humanity (especially due to the climate regulation services), trade-offs are important to identify so that managers can make informed decisions about the potential costs of human impacts on current and future ecosystem service values in the Antarctic. A key barrier to informing trade-offs is the lack of economic values for many of the Antarctic’s ecosystem services. Therefore, the objective of this workshop is to utilize a participatory approach to undertake an economic valuation of the Antarctic’s ecosystem services to investigate trade-offs and potential policy interventions.

During this workshop, attendees will be invited to participate in a Southern Ocean ecosystem services valuation exercise. We will provide preparatory information and attendees will be invited to contribute to list out the Southern Ocean ecosystem services. Then, during the workshop, participants will engage in a value elicitation exercise where they will choose to assign relative values to a suite of Southern Ocean ecosystem services, including those that lack quantifiable market values. Based on these values, we will then solicit input from participants on potential policy interventions that prioritize those values. At the end of the workshop, we will share the results of the survey with participants and provide information on the next steps in the research. For those who cannot attend the workshop, we intend to make an online survey available throughout the SCAR open science conference. We will also make the survey available to those who cannot attend the SCAR meeting. We intend to invite the Antarctic science, policy, industry, and conservation community to the workshop.

This session will present details of the SCAR Fellowship and Visiting Scholar schemes, including eligibility, applications and the flexibility available, including reflections from awardees of both schemes and an opportunity to ask questions live, along with testimony from a past Fellow and details of other resources available for advice.
We will also discuss how SCAR is addressing issues of diversity and inclusion in the context of Capacity Building, and the work of the SCAR Capacity Building Education and Training (CBET) Committee along with our partnership with Polar Educators International and other organisations.

Convenors: Alejandra Mancilla and Peder Roberts

As scholars, policy-makers, and increasingly the general public have come to realise, Antarctica’s unique political structure does not mean it is immune from the political dynamics that shape the rest of the world. A new volume edited by Alejandra Mancilla and Peder Roberts argues that this potentially includes colonialism. But can a concept so heavily associated with the subjugation and exploitation of Indigenous peoples and their lands have purchase in Antarctica? In this session, Alejandra and Peder are joined by three leading scholars in Antarctic humanities and social sciences to discuss how (and if) the framework of colonialism can help us to understand Antarctica — and if Antarctica can help to reveal some of the limits of colonialism as a category of analysis.

Date & Time: Thursday, 22nd August, 11.30-12.30
Location: Room Nothofagus, Gran Hotel Enjoy Pucón

Are you interested in helping to communicate Antarctic research to decision makers? If so then we would love to see you at this side event on SCAR’s Antarctic Environments Portal – a well regarded web resource which provides up-to-date and accessible summaries of current state of knowledge on scientific issues of relevance to Antarctic decision makers, and on environmental pressures likely to cause change into the future. These summaries are based on the best available science. They are intended to be concise, technically accurate, politically neutral and accessible to a broad audience. Articles published on the Portal are all peer-reviewed and grouped into thematic topics including marine, terrestrial, human activities, inland aquatic environments, atmosphere and cryosphere. The event is an informal opportunity to learn more about what the Portal is, how it operates, and ways you can get involved – whether as an author, reviewer, or even as our new Portal Editor!

Please register your interest in the event here https://form.jotform.com/241992159951367

Convenors: Victoria Valdivia Cerda, Diego Jimenez, Karen Manzano

The development of outer space affairs and technologies has rapidly evolved into several challenges to international governance and has created unmeasured impacts and opportunities for the preservation of particular areas such as the Antarctic. This side event aims to examine how outer space activities can improve critical aspects of the future of the Antarctic from a cross-disciplinary perspective to the end of acquiring learned lessons from space to be applied to the sixth continent.

Date & Time: Wednesday, 21st August, 18:00-19:30
Location: Room Colobanthus, Gran Hotel Enjoy Pucón

This is a critical decade for people and the planet. Extreme weather, rising temperatures, rising sea levels, and devastating events such as droughts, floods, wildfires, marine warming, ocean acidification, and record lows in sea ice extent are becoming ever more prevalent, affecting ecosystems, economies, and human wellbeing around the world. A 5th International Polar Year (IPY) will provide a vital opportunity to close outstanding major knowledge gaps through targeted attention and globally-coordinated action enabling polar researchers, knowledge holders, rights holders and stakeholders to achieve major breakthroughs in the knowledge required to protect the global environment, develop effective national and local strategies to mitigate and adapt to environmental changes, and accelerate progress towards achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This is a community event intended to raise awareness of the importance of the IPY, hear about progress to date, give the community an understanding of how they can get involved, and help shape the IPY for the greatest possible impact.

Please register your interest in the event here https://form.jotform.com/241974071746362