Organisation
The Belgian Science Policy Office (BELSPO), the Egmont Royal Institute for International Relations, the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS) and the Belgian National Committee of (Ant)Arctic Research (BNCAR)
Date
22 September 2022
Location
Museum of Natural Sciences in Brussels, Rue Vautier 29, 1000 Brussels
Polar regions are some of the most vulnerable areas on Earth. While anthropogenic warming impacts the whole planet, the Arctic region has been warming almost four times as fast in recent decades. Changes at the poles have local and global implications and are intertwined with biodiversity, the cornerstone of healthy and resilient ecosystems. Science is crucial for building a foundation to understand how our lives are impacted by climate change and what we can do to slow or reverse changes.
Belgian polar research plays an active and leading role on the international scene. The Polar Symposium highlights Belgian polar research and the scientific and policy fora associated with it. Presentations will cover climate, ice, geology, space, terrestrial biology, anthropology and health, ocean, marine biology and Belgian research facilities, complemented by contributions from leading polar organisations and prominent political speakers.
Programme
8:30 – 9:10: Registration
9:10 – 9:20: Welcome and opening
Minister Zakia Khattabi (Climate, Environment, Sustainable Development and the Green Deal)
9:20 – 9:30: Scientific opening
Renuka Badhe (Executive Secretary of the EU Polar Board)
9:30 – 9:55: Climate
Nicole Van Lipzig, Alexander Mangold
9:55 – 10:20: Ice
François Massonnet, Xavier Fettweis
10:20 – 10:40: SCAR (Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research)
Frank Pattyn
10:40 – 11:00: Coffee break
11:05 – 11:30: Geology
Steven Goderis, Nicolas Bergeot
11:30 – 11:55: Space
Simona Toscano, Hervé Lamy
11:55 – 12:15: ATCM (Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting)
Stéphanie Langerock, Annick Wilmotte
12:15 – 13:15: Lunch
13:15 – 13:25 Association for Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS)
Marie Cavitte
13:25 – 13:50 Terrestrial Biology
Elie Verleyen, Anne Willems
13:50 – 14:15 Anthropology and Health
Nathalie Pattyn, Frédéric Laugrand
14:15-14:35 International Arctic Science Committee (IASC)
Philippe Huybrechts
14:35 – 15:00 Ocean
François Fripiat, Bruno Delille
15:00 – 15:20 Coffee break
15:20 – 15:45 Marine Biology
Ann Vanreusel, Anton Van de Putte
15:45 – 16:10 Belgian research facilities: Research Vessel Belgica & Princess Elisabeth Antarctica Research Station.
Lieven Naudts, Henri Robert
16:10 – 16:30 Keynote speech European Commission DG for Research and Innovation
Szilvia Nemeth
16:30 – 16:40 Closing
State Secretary Thomas Dermine
(Economic Recovery and Strategic Investments, in charge of Science Policy)
16:40 – 16:55 Closing remarks
Jean-Louis De Brouwer
(Director of the European Affairs Programme at the Egmont Royal Institute for International Relations)
15 – 18 June 2018 SCAR and IASC/ASSW Business & Satellite Meetings
In the context of the Solar Terrestrial Centre of Excellence (STCE) and the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), we are organising a workshop at the Royal Observatory of Belgium on December 4th, 2017 on the Mutual benefits between atmospheric research and radio based science over polar regions.