Research on climate change impact on Southern Ocean and Antarctic ecosystems after the UN Paris climate conference "now more than ever" or "set sail to new shores"
The Paris Agreement, being the main result of the COP21 UN climate conference in 2015, included the ever most clearly defined political statement on anthropogenic climate change and the need for it to be reduced. In an opinion survey, Antarctic ecosystem researchers expressed their views, in which direction science should develop, after their mission to provide evidence for the existence of anthropogenic climate change and its impacts is accomplished. Four options for answers were offered. The majority voted in support for research for a better ecosystem understanding under climate change, since overarching questions seem to not yet be sufficiently answered. Applied research for mitigation received an intermediate amount of support. Similar amount of support was received for no changes in research strategies. This might be a result of an already existing lively progression of new developments, but might also be due to some old and burning questions, which still remain unanswered, e.g. on the Southern Ocean acting as a biological CO2 sink. Fewest experts thought that scientists should define totally new scientific themes. The results were also analysed separately for different groups of respondents in terms of stage of career, employing institutions (mission orientated or independent) and terrestrial or marine scientists. New student courses and university degrees are proposed, since new requirements by stakeholders demand new research strategies but traditional academic education and creativity is also still needed.
Polar Biology