International Polar Year 2007–2008 - WMO

nations to continue IPY projects beyond the IPY…“
(WMO, 2009). This message echoed the sentiments
from the October 2008 ICSU General Assembly at
which IPY was described as “a resounding success”
and its implementation was lauded as an effective
model from which to draw lessons. ICSU members
agreed “to extend deep appreciation to the members
of the IPY Joint Committee, its subsidiary groups, and
the International Programme Office for their tireless
work in making the IPY a major success . . .”
The JC indeed fulfilled most of its tasks as stipulated
in its Terms of References, established by ICSU and
WMO in November 2004. It developed an overall
implementation plan for IPY 2007–2008 as a network
of ‘core’ projects in research, data management,
education and outreach. It worked hard to encourage
and support its subcommittees to develop IPY
data policy and strategies to stimulate interest in
polar research and polar regions among students,
educators, general public and decision-makers. It
organized several ‘open meetings’ (Open Consultative
Forums) for the participating IPY scientists and science
planners, and it reached out to many organizations
and groups of stakeholders to encourage their
participation in IPY (Chapters 5.3, 5.4). On the other
hand, the JC was not very successful in raising
additional funds for IPY planning and coordination,
and for keeping a close supervision of its more than
200 constituent international projects and many other
events.
It is difficult to compare the role of the JC in IPY
2007–2008 to that of CSAGI in IGY during the 1953–
1958 period. The two guiding committees had radically
different levels of available resources, administrative
and governmental support, and the number of powerful
personalities involved (Chapter 1.1). Future historians
may discover JC shortcomings, but also as yet
unseen successes. The unfinished tasks of the JC and
of the entire IPY 2007–2008 process will be addressed
in more detail in the Epilogue.
Fig.1.5-22 Closing
of IPY 2007–2008
at the conclusion
of the Oslo Science
Conference, 12 June
2010. Left to right:
Elena Manaenkova
(Assistant Secretary
General, WMO),
Michael Sparrow
(SCAR), Jenny
Baeseman (APECS),
Volker Rachold
(IASC), David Carlson
(IPO), Jerónimo
López-Martínez
(JC), Deliang Chen
(Executive Director,
ICSU, standing at the
podium).
(Photo: Igor Krupnik)
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