Our Story

In 1988, the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs was established. Back then, there was a growing interest in Antarctica and a need for a focused group of experts to ensure effective and collaborative operations, logistics and science support. Today, we have grown from twenty-two Member programs to thirty-three Member and four Observer programs.

Countries engaging in Antarctic research that are also signatories to the Antarctic Treaty and the Environmental Protocol may participate in COMNAP. Membership is open to those countries’ national agencies responsible for planning and conducting Antarctic operations in support of science, called the “National Antarctic Programs”. The managers of these organizations become the national COMNAP representative.

COMNAP’s purpose which can be found in its Constitution is to “develop and promote best practice in managing the support of scientific research in Antarctica”. It does this by:
• Serving as a forum to develop practices that improve effectiveness of activities in an environmentally responsible manner;

• Facilitating and promoting international partnerships;

• Providing opportunities and systems for information exchange; and

• Providing the Antarctic Treaty System with objective, practical, technical & non-political advice drawn from the National Antarctic Programs’ pool of expertise.

COMNAP is one of only three permanent Observer organizations to the annual Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings (ATCMs). This important status provides us with the opportunity to provide advice into the Antarctic Treaty System’s governance structure, including to the Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP). Published research by Dudeney & Walton (2012) ranked COMNAP as 13th (out of 33) for total sum of Working Papers contributed between 1992–2010, with production of Working Papers “representing leadership and engagement”. You can find all the Working Papers and, in addition, all the Information and Background Papers submitted by COMNAP, to the ATCMs and CEP Meetings on the Antarctic Treaty Secretariat’s Meeting Documents Archive.

COMNAP is a Member-focused organization which is governed by an Executive Committee elected from the Member Managers and Deputy Managers of the National Antarctic Programs. The Executive Committee consists of an elected Chair, five elected Vice Chairs and an appointed Executive Secretary. We also have expertise in our Expert Group Leaders and Co-leaders, our Regional Break-out Group Facilitators, and our Project Leaders. See more about “Our People” here.

The Secretariat, directed by the Executive Secretary, is the organization’s headquarters. It is the information hub and focus for assisting Member National Antarctic Programs. The Secretariat is currently located in Christchurch, New Zealand (since October 2009). It was first based in Washington, DC, USA (1988—1997), and then in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia (1997—2009).

Find out more about COMNAP by downloading our brochure (2023) or reading “A Story of International Cooperation: 25 Years of the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs”.

 The COMNAP Awards and Medallions

COMNAP Chair's award.jpg

Upon completion of a Chair’s elected office on the Executive Committee, the Chair selects an individual or individuals to receive the COMNAP Medallion. To date, there have been four COMNAP Medallion recipients, recognising their “outstanding contributions to the goals and principles of COMNAP, especially to develop and promote best practice in managing the support of scientific research in Antarctica”.

  • Dr Patrice Godon, COMNAP Medallion Recipient 2017

    Former DMNAP, France’s IPEV, with a 37-year career in Polar international co-operation. Also recipient of the French Chevalier de l'Ordre du Mérite National (1997) and the Cristal du CNRS (1999), for his repeated successes in the field of heavy land crossings on snow/ice, and in the construction of buildings in extreme environments. The COMNAP Award 2017 was made to Patrice by COMNAP Chair Professor Kazuyuki Shiraishi (NIPR MNAP & COMNAP Chair 2014–2017) for “…contributions to COMNAP related to energy, engineering and technology especially through the Standing Committee for Antarctic Logistics and Operations (SCALOP), and, in particular, contribution of expertise related to the development of logistics traverse capabilities.”

  • Mr Henry R Valentine, COMNAP Medallion Recipient 2017

    Former MNAP, South African National Antarctic Program (SANAP), with a 35-year history of service within SANAP as an academic, researcher, administrator and manager and a delegate on the South African ATCM delegation for ten years. The COMNAP Award 2017 was made to Henry by COMNAP Chair Professor Kazuyuki Shiraishi (NIPR MNAP & COMNAP Chair 2014–2017) in recognition of his outstanding contributions as “COMNAP Annual General Meeting delegate 1997, 2001–2013, COMNAP MNAP Representative on the Executive Committee 2004–2007, Member COMNAP IPY Co-ordination Group 2004–2008, Host of the COMNAP Icebreaker Workshop, SA Agulhas II, Capetown, South Africa 2013.”

  • Professor Heinz Miller, COMNAP Medallion Recipient 2020/21

    Former MNAP, Germany’s Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI), with a 27-year history of service within the AWI as an academic, geophysicist, researcher, section head, manager, Chair of the Scientific Council, Deputy Director, and as Chair of the Scientific Technical Council of Polarstern II. The Award was made to Heinz by Dr Kelly K. Falkner (MNAP USAP & COMNAP Chair 2017–2021) in recognition of his outstanding contributions as “Delegate to nineteen COMNAP AGMs, from 1998 to 2018, Leader EPICA, COMNAP Chair (2011–2014), Chair of the COMNAP Environmental Coordinating Group (ECG) (1999–2002), Chair of the Steering Committee for the Antarctic Master Directory (SCAMD) (2005–2006), and the inaugural Leader of the COMNAP Science Expert Group (2009–2011).”

  • Mr Valery Lukin, COMNAP Medallion Recipient 2020/21

    Former MNAP Russian Antarctic Expedition (RAE), with a 27-year history of service as Head of RAE from 1991 to 2018, Deputy Director of AARI from 2002 to 2018. Deputy Head of the ATCM Russian delegation to nine meetings. Dr Kelly K. Falkner (MNAP USAP & COMNAP Chair 2017–2021) made the Award to Valery in recognition of his outstanding contributions as “… COMNAP Electronic Information Working Group Member (ELINF), 1998–1999, served from 2004 to 2008 on the COMNAP IPY Co-ordinating Group (IPYCG), Project Leader for the Antarctic Glossary, 2009–2013. Participated in twenty-four COMNAP AGMs, from 1993 to 2017, hosted in St. Petersburg the COMNAP AGM 2008 which was the 20th anniversary of COMNAP.”