International Polar Year 2007–2008 - WMO

Fig.1.5-21 IPY
2007–2008 was
officially closed
on 12 June 2010,
with the symbolic
passing of the IPY
flag from Jerónimo
López-Martinéz, JC
Co-Chair, to Gerlis
Fugmann, APECS
President, as Deliang
Chen, ICSU Executive
Director, and Elena
Manaenkova, WMO
Assistant Secretary
General, applaud.
(Photo: Jon-Petter Reinertsen)
110
IPY 20 07–20 08
The JC also served as a forum for new ideas for
change in the IPY process. Every JC meeting had
agenda items for discussion of such ‘new ideas.’ Some,
like the idea of the ‘IPY Publication series’ introduced
at JC-7, were only implemented to a limited extent, if
at all. Others, like the establishment of the IPY archives
(JC-6) or the endorsement of the Association of the
Early Career Scientists (APECS–Chapter 4.3), were
eventually picked up by more appropriate players.
The role of the JC as the key IPY ‘vetting body’ was
recognized widely by independent observers (Stirling,
2007).
The JC will most certainly be remembered for its
three major achievements: 1) definition of the core IPY
science based on 228 international projects reviewed
and endorsed by the JC in 2005 and 2006; 2) initiation
of a series of three consecutive major IPY conferences
in 2008, 2010 and 2012 with their specific messages;
and 3) being the main advocate of the IPY 2007–2008
legacy based on JC recommendations for a way forward
(Part 5). While the analogous bodies for the IPY-
1, IPY-2 and IGY also aspired to similar achievements,
none succeeded in completing all three.
In fulfilling its role in IPY as defined by ICSU and
WMO in 2004, the JC never acted alone. Many other
players helped steer the large IPY flagship to its
destination: the IPO, national committees, lead IPY
sponsors, and numerous supporting agencies and
organizations. The activities of the IPY subcommittees
were particularly noteworthy in: identifying and filling
observational gaps within IPY observing components
(Part 3) that eventually led to the creation of the IPY
Space Task Group; developing IPY data management
strategy (Chapter 3.11); and enhancing public and
media interest and participation in IPY (Part 4).
Assessing the IPY implementation in 2007–2009, the
61st session of WMO Executive Council (June, 2009)
“. . . noted with satisfaction the remarkable progress
in the implementation of IPY and highly appreciated
the work of the WMO/ICSU Joint Committee (JC) for
IPY, its Subcommittees, IPY International Programme
Office, and over 50,000 participants of the IPY projects
from more than 60 countries. The Council was pleased
to note that during the IPY period the researchers
made fundamental scientific discoveries, developed
new methods and tools, advanced interdisciplinary
and international links in polar science and, most
importantly, gained new understanding of the role of
the Polar Regions in the total Earth system. The Council
recognized that the success of IPY had inspired many