Antarctic Research And International Collaboration

Prime Minister Helen Clark today announced increased investment in efforts to learn and understand more about the relationship between Antarctica and climate change, and the world's environmental systems.

The announcement of New Zealand's contribution to International Polar Year also involves an expanded programme of research into marine biodiversity.

"International Polar Year is a unique opportunity for scientists to participate in important collaborations likely to produce major advances in Antarctic science and reinforce New Zealand's position as a serious science partner," Helen Clark said.

"In January this year I celebrated the 50th anniversary of New Zealand scientific partnership with the United States, during a visit to Antarctica, with Sir Edmund Hillary. Today's announcement continues that proud heritage of international collaboration.

The Labour-Progressive Government is spending an additional $11.1m over three years for research into Antarctica's role in climate change and global environmental systems, as part of International Polar Year (IPY).

The Government's IPY package includes funding for:

• A major international marine biodiversity study: the Census of Antarctic Marine Life in the Ross Sea ($6.6 million)
• A contestable fund to support International Polar Year research ($4.5 million).

"The International Polar Year happens once in a career and is the largest scientific show in town," Helen Clark said.

"Many government agencies are involved, and private sector researchers are also being encouraged to take part."

The $3.6 million funding for the voyage of the vessel Tangaroa, which provides the platform for the Census of Antarctic Marine Life, will be administered by Land Information New Zealand under the Oceans Survey 20/20 programme.

The Ministry of Fisheries will administer the funds for marine biodiversity analysis arising from the voyage, involving $1 million per year for three years. The voyage will collect marine, climate, hydrographic and biodiversity samples and data.

The contestable fund for International Polar Year research will be administered by the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology, with successful applicants receiving logistical support from Antarctica New Zealand

A major priority for the research will be climate change, but other equally important research will involve the protection of the unique ecosystems of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean, and public education around International Polar Year.

IPY started on 1 March 2007 and runs until March 2009. The two-year period allows the estimated 50,000 international researchers from more than 60 countries the opportunity to observe two complete polar cycles, and a second chance in the event of unpredictable weather preventing access.

The IPY funding is in addition to existing budget allocations supporting Antarctic research including the flagship Antarctic Drilling Project (ANDRILL) to plot the history of environmental changes in Antarctica, and world-leading ice core work.

More about it can be seen at www.ipy.org. The CAML also has a dedicated website, www.caml.aq.

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Background information: International Polar Year

Climate change is the major focus of International Polar Year, an initiative to begin a new era in polar research being led by the International Council for Science and the World Meteorological Organisation.

It aims to:

• Further understanding of the Arctic and Antarctic environments
• Generate public awareness and understanding of the importance of polar systems and processes
• Train the next generation of specialist polar researchers.

IPY will be the fourth major international polar research effort, and takes place 50 years after International Geophysical Year.

International Geophysical Year (IGY) was a critical point in the development of Antarctic research and expeditions, and through participation by 80,000 international scientists, led to a major expansion in scientific activity focussed on Antarctica. This includes the inception of New Zealand's own national Antarctic programme.

Many New Zealanders associate IGY with its exploration component, such as the Trans Antarctic Expedition led by Sir Edmund Hillary. Scientific outcomes from its research activities included the confirmation of continental drift theory and the first informed estimates of the total size of Antarctica's ice mass.

IGY also led to the development of the Antarctic Treaty, which was concluded in Washington in 1959. New Zealand is one of the 12 original signatories to that Treaty, which explicitly recognises the importance of Antarctic science and scientific cooperation.

This was reinforced in 1991 when parties to the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty designated Antarctica "a natural reserve devoted to peace and science".

New Zealand is already participating in other projects in Antarctica which will be part of IPY including the Antarctic Drilling Project (ANDRILL). New Zealand is project managing and co-leading this with the United States. It is designed to recover a history of environmental changes to guide our understanding of the pace, magnitude and frequency of glacial and interglacial changes in the Antarctic region.

The second target core for ANDRILL will be recovered during IPY and will be used to focus on the role of the East Antarctic ice-sheet in climate variability over the past 17 million years. More detail is available at www.andrill.org.

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Background information: Oceans 20/20 Programme

Ocean Survey 20/20 is an exploration programme that will provide important information to enable New Zealand to more effectively develop and manage its natural ocean resources in a sustainable way.

This surveying will give us greater knowledge of New Zealand's ocean territory, which allows us to:

• Demonstrate our stewardship and exercise our sovereign rights
• Conserve, protect, manage and sustainably utilise our ocean resources
• Facilitate safe navigation and enjoyment of the oceans around New Zealand.

The proposed surveys are consistent with those managed by LINZ to support New Zealand's continental shelf submission to the United Nations, hydrographic surveys undertaken for hydrographic charting purposes and the Chatham/Challenger Biodiversity and Seabed Habitats Survey which was launched last year.

This year we are focusing on the Census of Antarctic Marine Life (CAML) project. This project will describe and quantify marine biodiversity and ecosystem functioning of key offshore habitats in the Ross Dependency.

The CAML project will help scientists to:

• Better understand the species biodiversity and ecosystem function of the Ross Sea
• Quantify Antarctic marine species diversity of the Ross Sea and describe new species
• Maintain New Zealand's position as a leading contributor to the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources and as a recognised authority on issues affecting the Ross Sea
• Ensure New Zealand contributes to International Polar Year at a level that is commensurate with New Zealand's strategic interest in Antarctica and position as a Consultative party to the Antarctic Treaty.

Budget 2007 will provide $6.6 million of new money for the CAML project. This includes $3.6 million for the voyage and $1 million per year for three years for the scientific aspect of the project.