PM's chief science adviser urges 'overarching umbrella' for Antarctic science sector
Thursday, 20 June 2019
Too many Antarctic science organisations are competing for attention, the prime minister's chief science adviser says.
Professor Juliet Gerrard, speaking at conference of Antarctic scientists last week, used a slide presentation to show nine separate organisations that administer and fund science related to the icy continent and Southern Ocean.
'That is an awful lot of logos for a community this [small],' she said.
It included Antarctica New Zealand, Gateway Antarctica, Antarctic Research Institute, Antarctic Research Centre, Antarctic Science Platform, Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition, Joint Antarctic Research Institute, Deep South, and the NZ Antarctic Society.
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'It's the same for all science across the country – how do you organise things so that people get what you do? It's a challenge everywhere,' Gerrard said.
'I think it's an acute challenge here.'
Gerrard stopped short of calling for consolidation of the Antarctic science sector, but urged the agencies to form an 'overarching umbrella' that would raise the profile of research for politicians and civil servants.
'I'm an engaged scientist and it took me a while to figure out' what the slide called the 'very complex ecosystem' of Antarctic science, the biochemist said.
'If you were an unengaged politician, you would probably give up.'
Gerrard didn't name any unengaged politicians but many in the room were aware that some councils have refused to support the Zero Carbon Bill or a local government climate change declaration because they are unconvinced the evidence of global warming and other reasons.
The complexity arose, said Professor Gary Wilson of Otago University and a vice president of the international Scientific Committee of Antarctic Research, because the science community 'struggled to find the funding to do the work'.
'We've had to be incredibly inventive,' he said. 'We've worked with philanthropic support, we've worked with different government funding instruments and from different funding institutions. But we've continued to do fantastic programmes … and I see a community that has kept going even though the funding instruments have not been clear.
'We need to deal with the perception that we're a disparate group,' said Dr Nancy Bertler, director of the latest ice science organisation to come into being, the Antarctic Science Platform, which is housed within Antarctic NZ.
'Perhaps what we need is a guide for the outside,' she said. If somebody needs expertise in, say, sea level rise, then talk with these scientists. And so forth, she said.
Bertler used the Antarctic science conference to announce the allocation of $26 million on long-term research projects related to the southern continent and ocean.
A group led by GNS received $10.8m to study ice dynamics and sea level rise. A group led by Niwa got $5.7m to study ocean dynamics, and a group led by Victoria University got $5m to study sea ice and the carbon cycle. The balance went to expert groups and fellowships, according to platform director and associate professor Nancy Bertler.
'It means we can plan research that spans multiple seasons on the ice and collaborate with international Antarctic programmes to achieve globally significant outcomes,' Antarctica NZ acting chief scientific adviser, Dr Fiona Shanhun said.
The former National Government earmarked $49m for ice science in Budget 2017.
Bertler said some of the outstanding money would be allocated later this year while some would be kept for later years.