The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) was present in Paris meetings at COP21 this month by holding side events and press briefings. The impacts of climate change on the polar regions was highlighted. Although these issues are hugely complicated by multi-disciplinary environmental, physical and biological interactions – a major message has emerged – “there is a need to better implement results from climate impact projections into conservation strategies”.
SCAR reports that “Dr Julian Gutt, Chief Officer of the SCAR Science Research Programme Antarctic Thresholds - Ecosystem Resilience and Adaptation (AnT-ERA), has produced a report on the SCAR events at COP21 last week, which is available on the AnT-ERA website.”
“SCAR partnered with the International Cryosphere Climate Initiative (ICCI) to host a press briefing on the impact of climate change on the cryosphere which was webcast live. A recording of the webcast is available on the UNFCCC media website.”
“A side event was also held in the COP21 Nordic Pavilion in the afternoon entitled “View from Two Poles: Climate Lessons from the Arctic and Antarctica”. It was opened by Dr Valérie Masson-Delmotte, winner of the 2015 Muse Prize and Co-Chair of the IPCC's Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) Working Group 1.”
