International Polar Year 2007–2008 - WMO

Johnson, formerly with the U.S. Office of Naval
Research, was one of the key advocates. Again IASC,
like ICSU, was suffering from ‘initiative fatigue’ of its
own and was not very forthcoming to the new IPY
idea.
Several other leading bodies and groups active in
polar research, such as the Scientific Committee on
Antarctic Research (SCAR), European Polar Board (EPB)
and U.S. Polar Research Board (PRB) were apparently
enduring a similar burden of core programs coupled
with the lack of innovative ‘big ideas’ to enthuse their
members. This was a reason given by some early IPY
champions in the explanation why an idea of the
new IPY suddenly became appealing to many people
barely a few years later. Perhaps it happened thanks
to the new cohort of leaders that came to many polar
organizations at that very time. 3 Remarkably, in 2000–
2001 at least four groups of scientists independently
came forward with proposals for a new ‘international
polar year’ to be launched in 2007.
All based their arguments on the
forthcoming anniversary of IGY and
many also invoked the century-old
legacy of the earlier Polar Years.
Antarctic Scientists Argue for the
Celebration of IGY: 2000–2001
Antarctic scientists, predominately
a physical science community with a
deep memory of IGY, started talking
about the approaching anniversary of
IGY at least in 1999–2000. At that time,
the talks were primarily about the need
to prepare for a big ’50-year celebration’
event in 2007 (Bell, 2008; Summerhayes,
2008). Some of these debates were
first reflected in the minutes of the
SCAR XXVI annual meeting in Tokyo,
17–21 July 2000, at which the delegates
were briefed about such discussion at
the XII COMNAP (Council of Managers
of National Antarctic Programmes)
meeting a week prior. Among several
issues addressed by COMNAP was
the recommendation ‘to prepare for
recognition of the 50th Anniversary of
the International Geophysical Year in
2007–2008’ (Chapter 1.4; SCAR, 2001). A year later, at
the SCAR Executive Committee Meeting in Amsterdam
22–24 August 2001, the approaching 50th Anniversary
was once again addressed among ‘other items.’ No
plan was adopted, except checking with ICSU about
‘what plans ICSU may have’ and no special ideas were
put forward (SCAR, 2002).
Electronic Geophysical and International
Heliophysical Years: 2000–2001
On 10 July 2000 the ICSU Secretariat received what
may be justly called the first ‘IGY+50’ proposal from
one of its constituent bodies, SCOSTEP (Scientific
Committee on Solar-Terrestrial Physics). SCOSTEP was
established by ICSU in 1972 out of several successor
projects originating from IGY. In his letter Joe H. Allen,
SCOSTEP’s Scientific Secretary, asked for information
about programs known to ICSU that were being
planned around the 50th anniversary of IGY in 2007
Fig. 1.2-2. First
resolution by
the International
Association for
Geomagnetism and
Aeronomy arguing
for “collaborative
programmes during
the period 2003 to
2008 to mark the
50th anniversary of
the IGY and to act
as a springboard for
future research” (July
1999) www.iugg.org/
IAGA/iaga_pages/
pubs_prods/iaga_
news_39/resolutions.
htm
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