IASC 25 years - Page 89

- Identify and address major issues for science and We interact with ICSU bodies informally and as society already mentioned, SCAR, our sister organization - Facilitate interaction amongst scientists across concerned with Antarctic research, is a body of all disciplines and from all countries ICSU. As an organization concerned with interna- - Promote the participation of all scientists - re- tional Arctic research, we need to have contacts gardless of race, citizenship, language, political with the global research issues as Arctic phenom- stance, or gender - in the international scientific ena often is a part of global systems and there is a endeavor two way interaction. The outcome of many of our - Provide independent, authoritative advice to projects is fed into global programmes. stimulate constructive dialogue between the sci- entific community and governments, civil society, An application to ICSU was made in 2004, and con- and the private sector. firmation was received on 12 January 2005 that IASC had been accepted as an International Scien- For many members of IASC, becoming a member tific Associate of ICSU. of the ICSU family was a logical step to connect to international science. SCAR, the sister organization for the Antarctic, had been established by ICSU, and during the IASC planning period SCAR was used as a model. Many members of IASC were national delegates to SCAR or otherwise involved in Antarctic research, and knew what worked well in the SCAR system, and could easily agree on solutions that would be relevant for the future IASC. Relevant parts of the SCAR organizational structure, rules of procedure etc. could be copied or adapted to IASC. 4.4 History of the Arctic Ocean Sciences Board (AOSB) and Cooperation with other Organizations Naja Mikkelsen Reviewer: Dieter Fütterer However, there were several differences: SCAR had been initiated by ICSU and was by definition At a meeting in Bremerhaven in May 1984, a group an ICSU body, whereas IASC was born by science of scientists and scientific managers from five ‘parents’ under governmental scrutiny. Some coun- countries, after reviewing ongoing and proposed tries were skeptical to IASC seeking a relationship to national and international scientific activities ICSU based on a fear that they would lose control. including the Marginal Ice Zone Experiment (MIZEX), the Fram Strait Project, the proposals from existing As there was not an urgent need to seek a rela- international scientific organizations related to tionship to ICSU, more than a decade of maturation activities in the Arctic Ocean and adjacent seas, passed before there was internal agreement to ap- agreed that there should be formed a body known ply for a partnership with ICSU. In the ICSU system, as the Arctic Ocean Sciences Board (AOSB). This IASC could not become a regular ICSU body as it was non-governmental body, with members from re- not born by ICSU, so the solution was an application search and government institutions – in soon 16 to become an International Scientific Associate of countries – met annually to promote scientific and ICSU. technical coordination and establish joint priorities and programs (see Table 1). The application form requests a description of why an organization is seeking membership, or associa- From 2001 onward, the AOSB has met as part of tion with, ICSU. The IASC application contained the the joint ASSW and was a member of the planning following description: 88 04 Cooperation with Other Organizations