Workshops are proposed by the community. A workshop is a meeting at which a self-elected group of people engage in intensive discussion and activity on a particular subject or project. The exact format for a workshop is decided by the proposers. Workshops are scheduled in the peripheries of the Open Science Conference to avoid interfere with attendance at plenary events, mini-symposia, panel discussions and parallel sessions.

The Workshop for the 10th SCAR Open Science Conference are:

Workshop 2:
Wednesday, 10th August 2022, 04:00-07:00 UTC

Biodiversity is essential to the functioning of all life on earth, including in the Southern Ocean. “Key Biodiversity Areas” (or KBAs) are those sites deemed most critical to biodiversity conservation. In 2016, the IUCN published a A Global Standard for the Identification of Key Biodiversity Areas which establishes a consultative, science-based process for identifying KBAs. Working with the IUCN and SCAR Ant-ICON Scientific Research Programme and EG-BAMM, we seek to hold an expert workshop focused on mapping potential KBAs in the Southern Ocean. In this workshop we will present ongoing work using the RAATD dataset towards classifying potential KBA areas across the subantarctic and Antarctic waters. RAATD – the Retrospective Analysis of Antarctic Tracking Data – is a Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research project led jointly by the Expert Groups on Birds and Marine Mammals and Antarctic Biodiversity Informatics. This published dataset includes tracking data from 17 predator species, 4060 individual animals, and more than 2.9 million observed locations. During the workshop, we will review supporting data and seek intensive input on proposed KBAs. We will refine proposed KBA delineations based on expert input, taking into account any potential overlap with other existing classifications and protections in the Southern Ocean (e.g., EBSAs, IMMAs, IBAs, MPAs). We will also discuss the potential additional role of KBAs. The SCAR, IUCN, and broader Southern Ocean science, policy and conservation community would be invited to the workshop.

If you are interested in attending this workshop or being kept informed about the project, please add your name to this sheet.

Convenors

The ocean regulates the global climate by absorbing heat and carbon from the atmosphere and storing them in the deep seas away from the atmosphere for centuries. Most of this process is done in the Southern Ocean around Antarctica, due to its unique circulation system. The role of the Southern Ocean in absorbing heat and carbon is a key process in the global climate system that is not fully understood. It is also unclear how these processes might change in future. The EU-funded SO-CHIC project is working to address some of these gaps in understanding, with work focused on air-sea fluxes, upper and deep ocean ventilation pathways, the role of the Weddell polynya, impacts on the wider climate system, and variability and trends for the future of the Southern Ocean system. The project employs a combination of observational and modelling approaches to advance understanding. This session will explore SO-CHIC’s work and the latest understanding of Southern Ocean climate processes.

Speakers

Collaborations have always played a central role in Antarctic research. In recent years a growing body of research has demonstrated that ensuring diversity in experience, background, and skills in teams enhances the quality of research. The Antarctic research community increasingly recognizes the need for creating more inclusive collaborations, which itself requires identifying and dismantling socially and culturally enmeshed barriers to participation. As we prepare researchers to meet the challenges posed by the complexities of the much-needed interdisciplinary and globally collaborative work, it is essential to improve awareness of outstanding inequalities and identify effective ways to move toward more inclusive and equitable Antarctic research communities.

This is a unique opportunity for cross-disciplinary research and dialogue bringing together diverse perspectives on forging more inclusive and equitable Antarctic research communities. This session aims to integrate and build upon dialogues that have been taking place in polar research through a variety of organisations and networks, as well as the first Inclusive Collaborations in Antarctic Research parallel session and workshop, which was held at the SCAR OSC in 2020.

Speakers

A workshop will be held in partnership with organizations focused on early career researchers, giving guidance and advice on how to become a reviewer for and contributor to IPCC Assessment Reports. The workshop will build on previous online sessions by Association of Polar Early Career Researchers (APECS) and Young Earth System Scientists (YESS) and other partners, and will inform participants on the process for involvement in IPCC Assessment Report development, particularly with an emphasis on Southern Ocean climate science and oceanography. Material developed at this workshop, including any audio, video or written material will be made publicly available online.

Convenors