Abstract:
As part of a review of the South African National Antarctic Programme (SANAP), undertaken by the South African Government, a background report on the productivity and research findings of the SANAP over the past ten years was commissioned. This report1 highlighted the strengths and outputs of the programme and identified several major challenges, especially in the field of oceanography. The report also sets out the international and national context within which South African researchers typically operate and from which they can benefit. In this presentation, an overview of the Antarctic Treaty System, the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research, and the major scientific findings of the background commissioned report are presented. This short overview is meant to stimulate a discussion of the current strengths and opportunities of the SANAP, and areas where, as researchers, it is our view that more can be done. One key outcome of the report was that inter-disciplinary work tends to be serendipitous rather than sought after.
