FACILITATION OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH:
COMPARABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY OF ANTARCTIC SCIENTIFIC DATA
The Representatives,
Recalling:
(a) Article III (1) (c) of the Antarctic Treaty calling on Parties to exchange and make freely available scientific observations and results from Antarctica;
(b) Recommendation XIII-5 inviting the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) to offer scientific advice on how to improve the comparability and accessibility of Antarctic scientific data; and
(c) that the Report of the XIVth Consultative Meeting identified determination of types of useful data for management and assessment and the development of a directory as two important initial steps to improve data comparability and accessibility;
Noting that:
(a) the Report of XX SCAR responds to Recommendation XIII-5 by describing several steps needed for the establishment of an Antarctic data system and by calling for the establishment of a committee on data management to advise on the development of such a system;
(b) SCAR has established such a committee with the following terms of reference:
(i) to determine the requirements within SCAR for a coordinated approach to data;
(ii) to consider the possible compilation of a SCAR directory of available items, data bases, geographical information systems, data centres, specimen holdings, relevant archives and bibliographic collections;
(iii) to consider the formation of guidelines for common or minimum formats for data collection and archiving; and
(iv) to suggest areas for coordination with external activities or organisations;
(c) the Report of XX SCAR identifies the development of national directories of Antarctic data as the logical first step in the development of a data system;
Desiring:
(a) to improve the accessibility and comparability of Antarctic scientific data to help give effect to Article III (1) (c) of the Antarctic Treaty; and
(b) to create an Antarctic scientific data system for use in facilitating environmental assessment and monitoring and the promotion of scientific research;
Recommend to their Governments that:
1. They develop and make available to SCAR and other Antarctic Treaty Parties a directory listing where and in what format Antarctic scientific data now exist.
2. They agree, working in cooperation with the SCAR Committee to compile an Antarctic Scientific Data Directory.
3. They agree to assist the SCAR Committee to develop a programme of work describing further steps needed to create an Antarctic Scientific and Environmental Data System, including consideration of relevant technologies.
4. Upon completion of the draft programme of work developed by SCAR, in cooperation with relevant governmental experts, they convene, in accordance with Recommendation IV-24, a Meeting of Experts, with expertise in data management, to consider how to establish an Antarctic Scientific and Environmental Data system.
COMPARABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY OF ANTARCTIC SCIENTIFIC DATA
The Representatives,
Recalling:
(a) Article III (1) (c) of the Antarctic Treaty calling on Parties to exchange and make freely available scientific observations and results from Antarctica;
(b) Recommendation XIII-5 inviting the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) to offer scientific advice on how to improve the comparability and accessibility of Antarctic scientific data; and
(c) that the Report of the XIVth Consultative Meeting identified determination of types of useful data for management and assessment and the development of a directory as two important initial steps to improve data comparability and accessibility;
Noting that:
(a) the Report of XX SCAR responds to Recommendation XIII-5 by describing several steps needed for the establishment of an Antarctic data system and by calling for the establishment of a committee on data management to advise on the development of such a system;
(b) SCAR has established such a committee with the following terms of reference:
(i) to determine the requirements within SCAR for a coordinated approach to data;
(ii) to consider the possible compilation of a SCAR directory of available items, data bases, geographical information systems, data centres, specimen holdings, relevant archives and bibliographic collections;
(iii) to consider the formation of guidelines for common or minimum formats for data collection and archiving; and
(iv) to suggest areas for coordination with external activities or organisations;
(c) the Report of XX SCAR identifies the development of national directories of Antarctic data as the logical first step in the development of a data system;
Desiring:
(a) to improve the accessibility and comparability of Antarctic scientific data to help give effect to Article III (1) (c) of the Antarctic Treaty; and
(b) to create an Antarctic scientific data system for use in facilitating environmental assessment and monitoring and the promotion of scientific research;
Recommend to their Governments that:
1. They develop and make available to SCAR and other Antarctic Treaty Parties a directory listing where and in what format Antarctic scientific data now exist.
2. They agree, working in cooperation with the SCAR Committee to compile an Antarctic Scientific Data Directory.
3. They agree to assist the SCAR Committee to develop a programme of work describing further steps needed to create an Antarctic Scientific and Environmental Data System, including consideration of relevant technologies.
4. Upon completion of the draft programme of work developed by SCAR, in cooperation with relevant governmental experts, they convene, in accordance with Recommendation IV-24, a Meeting of Experts, with expertise in data management, to consider how to establish an Antarctic Scientific and Environmental Data system.
