Background

The IPHC has set up Working Groups (WGs) to advance the development of a range of responses to issues related to polar heritage. The WGs will address key issues where guidance on standards for and approaches to the identification, conservation and management of polar heritage is needed. The WGs might, for example, be asked to prepare information papers for submission to the CEP Environmental Portal, for submission as information or recommendation to the consultative meetings of the Antarctic Treaty nations (ATCM), or for promulgation by the IPHC itself or through ICOMOS processes.

Guidelines for the operation of WGs

WGs are envisaged as addressing specific issues, and as such will have a defined period for reporting back to the IPHC. For each WG the IPHC Executive Committee will:

• Clearly document the task and role of the Working Group. WGs have no executive or liaison role on behalf of IPHC unless specifically authorised by the Executive Committee.  As with the IPHC itself, the WG cannot present itself as representing ICOMOS – it is a WG of the IPHC.

• Set a timeframe for the completion of WG task. This will relate to the nature of the WG task, but will be limited to a maximum of two years before WG membership and task are reviewed. In the course of its work the WG might recommend an expansion of the scope or membership of the WG, or the need for the IPHC to address related issues.

• Set a timeframe for reporting to Executive Committee. Reports on progress will generally be provided to a Zoom meeting of the Executive Committee every three months, and when major issues or developments arise.

• Seek expressions of interest in joining WGs from all members.

• Appoint a member of the Executive Committee as a member of the WG.

• Identify a convenor of the WG once expressions of interest have been received. 

In some cases, such as for the writing of information papers, an individual IPHC member might be asked to undertake the drafting, and a WG set up to provide feedback and review of the document. All IPHC members will have the opportunity to comment on final draft documents.

The Executive Committee will constitute itself as a WG (ExCom WG) for some issues central to IPHC policy development and advice-giving roles. An example is identifying and setting priorities for papers needed for the CEP Environmental Portal, or for the development for Arctic conservation or Antarctic Treaty processes, while the papers themselves might be written by either the ExCom WG, or by a WG established for that task.

Sub Antarctic Working Group