The largest global meeting on Antarctic science, held this week in Chile, has concluded – 2024-08-24 16:08:09

This Friday, the 23rd, the Open Conference of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR OSC) concluded, the largest event of its kind worldwide, which brought together more than 1,300 attendees from the five continents in Pucón to discuss the advances and challenges in Antarctic science.

The meeting organized by SCAR, the National Committee for Antarctic Research (CNIA) and the Chilean Antarctic Institute (INACH) not only stood out for its high attendance and participation, but also reaffirmed Chile’s fundamental role as a world leader in the development and promotion of science on the White Continent.

Return to in-person classes

This was the second global meeting on Antarctic science held in Latin America and the first in six years, after the pauses forced by the pandemic.

“This meeting had not been held in person for six years due to the pandemic. Therefore, everyone was very excited and happy to see each other. During that week, we had more than a thousand participants and many oral presentations were made. Everyone was very happy and felt welcome in Pucón,” said SCAR President Yeadong Kim.

The event not only facilitated knowledge sharing and networking, but also fostered Antarctic activism and addressed the challenges of working in one of the most extreme environments on the planet.

The next SCAR meeting will take place in Oslo, Norway and is scheduled for August 2026.

New hope

The conference slogan, “Antarctic Science: Crossroads for a New Hope,” underlines the importance of the continent in the global climate system.

“We are changing our perception of Antarctica from a pristine and isolated continent to one that is deeply interconnected and influential,” said Marcelo Leppe, SCAR vice president, national coordinator appointed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and part of the organizing committee of this major global event.

Likewise, more than a decade ago, eighty priority questions were grouped together for the next 25 years.

“Today, after more than ten years, we can confirm that these questions turned out to be fundamental. In our search for answers, we have observed the alarming decrease in Antarctic sea ice, which in the last three years has shrunk by almost three million square kilometers. In addition, we have detected that phenomena such as the avalanches in Chile in 2015 and 2021, the hurricane-force winds this year and the massive flooding in southern Brazil are linked to atmospheric phenomena in the upper and middle atmosphere of Antarctica. We have also identified a strong coupling with El Niño and La Niña events,” said Leppe.

For his part, the national director of INACH, Gino Casassa, emphasizes:

“The conference highlights that climate change is a global crisis and that Antarctica is not isolated from this reality. As reiterated by the Foreign Minister and the scientific community, ‘what happens in Antarctica does not stay in Antarctica; it also impacts the rest of the planet, and vice versa’. This message is important and must be addressed urgently, underlining the interconnection that exists between the White Continent and the rest of the world.”

Youth Participation

The participation of young people in SCAR has been significant, with a representation of between 50% and 60% of researchers in the early stages of their careers, according to the organizers.

This high level of attendance, especially from people under 30 years of age, reflects the robustness of the programme and highlights the importance of opening up opportunities for young people to make significant contributions to Antarctic science research in the near future.

“It is particularly inspiring to observe the generational exchange, from a professor from the United States who taught me to the youth of today. The presence of so many young, enthusiastic people interested in Antarctic science indicates an increase in interest in environmental issues in general. In addition, the notable participation of women, which also reflects a positive balance. Chile, as an Antarctic country, clearly attracts those who wish to explore various aspects of Antarctic science, including all the components of the atmosphere,” said Casassa.

Strong female presence

SCAR OSC is not only a space to share scientific advances, but also fosters inclusion and diversity. The increasing participation of women in traditionally male-dominated fields marks a step towards greater gender equality. This transformation is relevant to ensure that science is inclusive and that all voices contribute to addressing global challenges, including the climate crisis.

In this context, three of the four keynote lectures were presented by women. Sally Lau spoke about benthic invertebrates in the Southern Ocean and their importance in understanding Antarctica’s climatic past; Victoria Nuviala presented her research on Antarctic architecture and the SUR Archive project, which documents architecture in the region; and on Friday, Professor Meredith Nash addressed the impact of the #MeTooAntarctica movement in promoting a safer, more respectful and gender-violence-free work environment in Antarctic science.

Also of note is the discussion “Women in polar knowledge” with the participation of Gloria de La Fuente (Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs), Carolina Gainza (Undersecretary of Science), Angélica Casanova-Katny (plant ecophysiologist), Gabriela Roldán (sociologist and Antarctic researcher), and Nadia Politis (Director of Communications of the Milenio BASE Institute and author of “Antarctica: Stories of women explorers in the heart of the planet”).

“At this outstanding Antarctic science meeting, we had the valuable opportunity to specifically address how to increase the participation of women in the scientific development of the continent, a place dedicated to both peace and the advancement of knowledge. We consider it essential to strengthen these efforts in Antarctica, a space of great geostrategic and geopolitical relevance for our country, where crucial research is carried out for the understanding of climate change and other global challenges,” said the Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs, Gloria de la Fuente, who was one of the speakers at this session.

Community events

The Antarctic Fest, held as part of the SCAR OSC, offered the community of Pucón and the lake area a series of free and open activities to the public to highlight the importance of Antarctic science. The event included the SCAR OSC Expo 2024, with local crafts inspired by Antarctica, exhibitions of naturalist illustrations by Mauricio Álvarez, Antarctic photographs by John Weller, and a documentary screening at the Universidad de la Frontera and the Liquen Cultural Center. A visit to the Araucanía Interactive Volcanological Center at the Universidad de La Frontera, Pucón campus, was also promoted.

Meanwhile, during this week in Punta Arenas, storytelling sessions were held for educational communities and a performance open to the public. The Cuentera Austral group presented narrations of stories that won the contest “Young Talents of Magallanes: The White Continent.” The initiative was organized by the Teraike Foundation and INACH, and sought to educate about Antarctica, its conservation, climate change and its role as the main gateway to the continent.

Likewise, between Monday 26th and Friday 30th, the ZonAustral exhibition hall, next to the skating rink, will host the exhibition of the winning stories and illustrations of this contest. In the same place and during the next week, the Antartikana Exhibition will be presented, organized by SERCOTEC Magallanes with the collaboration of INACH. In this exhibition, more than twenty artisans, craftswomen and entrepreneurs from the region will exhibit their creations inspired by Antarctica.

SCAR delegates meeting

Next week in Punta Arenas, the SCAR delegates’ meeting will be held, with a packed agenda. Members of the Executive Council and the Executive Committee will be re-elected and key issues of the Antarctic Treaty will be discussed, including the role of tourism and the inclusion of social sciences, humanities and arts in Antarctic research.

The creation of a committee specializing in social sciences and humanities will seek to integrate these areas into Antarctic science.

“Strengthening the social sciences, humanities and arts in Antarctic research is essential for a full understanding of the challenges we face. Our goal is to revitalize the legacy of historians such as Óscar Pinochet de la Barra and Jorge Berguño, particularly from INACH and the National Committee for Antarctic Research,” concluded Gino Casassa.