The Arctic and the Antarctic are key regions for the climate. Man-made global warming has a particularly strong impact on the polar regions, with far-reaching consequences:
- The Arctic and Antarctic ice sheets bind most of the fresh water on earth. Their melting is crucial for global sea level rise.
- The decreasing sea ice cover in the Arctic is causing altered air pressure structures. As a consequence, the probability of cold air masses from the north and east extending to central Europe increases.
- The polar oceans are key regions for the storage of carbon dioxide and drive the climate modulating global ocean circulation. As a result, they are crucial to how the world’s climate will develop over the coming decades to centuries.
- The thawing of permafrost can lead to an increased release of greenhouse gases and endanger the stability of the ground. It affects buildings, roads, railroads, power, oil and gas pipelines, industrial plants and communication links, with estimated damages of about $150 billion per year from 2030 onwards.
- The fast warming threatens the biodiversity and functionality of polar ecosystems. This has feedback effects on the climate, as some polar organisms bind carbon dioxide. Endangered organisms are also a food source for whales, seals, penguins and other seabirds as well as for most fish, which is why fisheries are also affected.
To be able to make reliable statements about the effects of climate change, extensive measurements over a long period of time and realistic model simulations are necessary.
The insights of the German polar research are important for understanding global and regional climate change. They have been incorporated into the Assessment Reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and will continue to make a significant contribution in the future.
The National Committee SCAR/IASC coordinates the German university research in the field of polar research together with the Alfred Wegener Institute and the relevant federal institutions.
Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR)
International Arctic Science Committee (IASC)
Meetings
| SCAR Open Science Conference 19.08. – 23.08.2024, Pucón, Chile |
| 33rd Meeting of the National Committee SCAR/IASC 22.05. – 23.05.2024, Bremen, Germany |
| European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2024 14.04. – 19.04.2024, Vienna, Austria |
| ASSW 2024 21.03. – 29.03.2024, Edinburgh, Scotland |
| POLARSTERN Workshop 12.03. – 13.03.2024, Haus der Wissenschaft, Bremen, Germany |
| DFG Priority Programme “Antarctic Research” Coordination Workshop 18.09. – 20.09.2023, Potsdam, Germany |
| more coming soon |
SCAR Event Calendar
IASC Event Calendar (ARCUS)
DFG leaflet on support for participating in international scientific organizations
See item 2 (pages 3 – 4) for instructions on how to apply for a travel grant to attend a SCAR or IASC meeting (document in German only).
News
Ocean Decade – Arctic Action Plan
The Ocean Decade is a global endeavour to create a significant collaborative momentum for ocean-related sustainable development and science. The Arctic Action Plan is the first regional plan that was developed under the umbrella of the Ocean Decade. It presents a first wave of challenges to address in the Arctic regions.
Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting
The Antarctic Treaty was established in 1961. Since then, representatives of the participating nations have met regularly for the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM). This time, the meeting took place in Berlin from May 23 to June 2, 2022.
The National Committee presented a poster about its work at the ATCM exhibition and published a text about German university research in Antarctica on the conference website.
