COMNAP Meetings 2026
Annual General Meeting (AGM) 38
4−6 August 2026
Tromsø, Norway
The AGM will be held as an in-person, Members-only, meeting in Tromsø, Norway, hosted by the Norwegian Polar Institute.
To participate in any of the meetings & events, registration is required. More information on registration will be provided early in 2026.
Annual General Meeting 38 (2026)
Tuesday 4, Wednesday 5, Thursday 6 August, 2026
Tromsø, Norway
The COMNAP AGM (2026) 38 will be held as an in-person meeting. A prelimary agenda for the AGM is available below.
Agenda
Item 1: Opening
Item 2: Adoption of COMNAP AGM 37 (2025) Final Report
Item 3: Chair’s Report
Item 4: Executive Secretary’s Report
Item 5: Reports from Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM) and the Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP) meeting representatives and from invited experts
Item 6: Administrative & policy matters [Members Only]
Item 7: Improving support of science & international collaboration
Regional break-out groups and information exchange. The Regional Group sessions will be:
Peninsula, Ross Sea Region, East Antarctica, Dronning Maud Land, Larsemann Hills Management Group, & High Plateau.
Item 8: Expert Groups/Topical discussions
The Expert Groups sessions & their topics will include:
Air Operations
Environmental Protection
Education & Outreach
Marine Platforms
Safety
Advancing Critical Technologies
Human Biology & Medicine
Item 9: Projects
The current projects are:
Highly Pathogenetic Avian Influenza Preparedness & Response
Welcomed | Safe | Respected & Prevention of Harassment in Antarctica
RINGS Collaboration
InSync Collaboration
Asset Tracking System (CATS)
Improving Search & Rescue (SAR) Response
New project proposals will also be considered.
Item 10: Strategic directions [Members Only]
Item 11: Project plan 2027–2032 [Members Only]
Item 12: Finance [Members Only]
Item 13: Election of officers [Members Only]
Item 14: Future AGMs and symposiums
Item 15: Any other business
Item 16: Close
Meeting Papers
COMNAP Members and Observer programmes are welcome to submit AGM Meeting Papers for any agenda item.
Please submit in English as a Word document to sec@comnap.aq.
Expert Group Topical Discussion Forums
1. Air Operations: Facilitator: TBA
2. Advancing Critical Technologies: Facilitator: Anand Singh
3. Marine Platforms: Facilitator: Miki Ojeda
4. Education, Outreach & Training: Facilitator: Andrea Peña Aguirre
5. Science Facilitation: Facilitators: Yogesh Ray
6. Safety: Facilitator: Gen Hashida
7. Environmental Protection: Facilitator: Andrew Titmus
8. Medical (JEGHBM): Facilitator: Giichiro Ohno
Regional Break-out Group Sessions
1. Peninsula: Facilitator: Agnieszka Kruszewska
2. Ross Sea Region: Facilitator: Rocco Ascione
3. East Antarctica: Facilitator: Matt Filipowski
4. Larsemann Hills Management Group: Facilitator: Rebecca Hingley
5. High Plateau: Facilitator: Jessie Crain
6. Dronning Maud Land: Facilitator: Uwe Nixdorf
Meeting & symposium General Principles
“Welcomed, safe & respected”
Meeting the COMNAP Objectives requires the talents and perspectives of people with different personal, cultural, and disciplinary backgrounds. We are committed to welcoming and respecting these differences. We ask our AGM hosts to recognise this and to support all delegates to feel welcomed, safe, and respected at the AGM and associated events.
“Green Meeting”
A "green" meeting is one that is organized and implemented in such a way as to minimize negative impacts on the environment and promote a positive social impact for the host community and for participants. When planning for the AGM, we ask you to consider a few options to make our meeting “greener”. Here are some things to consider:
Reduce the amount of printed materials at the meeting venue and, when printed materials are necessary, please ensure there is a paper recycling bin/system for delegates to use. The Secretariat will utilise electronic distribution of meeting papers and handouts.
Minimise packing and shipping materials.
Create reusable or recyclable badges to minimise waste after the meeting concludes.
Reduce single-use plastic in food service ware, including by not providing water in plastic single-use bottles. Ask delegates to bring their own water bottles or use reusable glassware.
Buy local and utilise local suppliers of services.
Provide food that is local and in season. Ask your catering company about their plans for uneaten food and if leftovers can be donated.
Minimise giveaways, or ensure giveaways are made of greener material choices and minimise any plastic wrappings.
Provide information to delegates on local mass-transit/public transportation options to/from the AGM venue.
Minimise travel distance for delegates choosing venues close to international transit hubs.
Provide information on hotels that have “green credentials”.
Partner with the local community to support a local “green” programme that delegates can choose to donate to or support in some way while they are there.