WELCOME to the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs (COMNAP) website
The Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs is an international association, formed in 1988, which facilitates support to Antarctic operations amongst the governmental National Antarctic Programs. Our Membership is thirty-four country programs, representing almost 100% of the science and science support activity in Antarctica. The National Antarctic Programs, our Members, are responsible for delivering and supporting scientific research in the Antarctic Treaty Area on behalf of their respective governments and in the spirit of the Antarctic Treaty. They work collaboratively and individually to ensure data from Antarctica is available to the world.
Projects
COMNAP Projects support our Membership, engage the public, and ensure we are providing best practice advice to the Antarctic Treaty system.
Expert Groups
People within the COMNAP Membership have a depth and breadth of expertise found nowhere else. A fundamental aspect of our organisation is to support the free exchange of information between these experts.
Ambitions
Our Ambitions include caring for the environment, supporting our Members to succeed, and fostering strong community relationships while contributing towards a positive, enduring Antarctic future.
Documents and resources
Over the years, we have worked with our Membership and the wider Antarctic community to produce a range of informative brochures, booklets, books and even the Antarctic Station game. Some of our publications provide guidance to our Members on things like waste management, critical technologies, preventing the introduction of non-native species into the Antarctic environment and how to prevent and respond to oil spills. We are advisors to the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings (ATCMs) and to the Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP) through our Permanent Observer status.
News & Events
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COMNAP EXCOM Meeting - October 2025
17 October 2025
The COMNAP Executive Committee (EXCOM), chaired by Agnieszka Kruszewska, met in-person in Alexandria, United States of America, 15-17 October, to discuss COMNAP strategic direction.
While reviewing the outcomes of the COMNAP Annual General Meeting, EXCOM’s discussion focused on new projects, strategic opportunities in environmental protection, sustainability, safety & wellbeing and the work of the expert groups.
EXCOM also exchanged views on how enhancing COMNAP’s status within the Antarctic Treaty System by continuing to provide practical, technical and non-political advice.
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Celebrating Innovation, Collaboration and Global Impact in Early-Careers
15 October 2025
COMNAP announces 2025 Antarctic Early-Career Award Recipient.
The annual Antarctic Early-Career Award, granted by COMNAP, is an investment in the professional development of talented early career researchers. The COMNAP Executive Committee (EXCOM), during their annual meeting are pleased to announce COMNAP support to Stephen Smith in 2025.
Stephen, from the British Antarctic Survey (United Kingdom), will join colleagues from the Norwegian Polar Institute (Norway) for his project titled ‘UK-Norway Antarctic Aviation Safety Collaboration: Joint Operational Training and Knowledge Exchange of Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Procedures in Antarctica’.
You can read the media release here and for more information, including past recipients, visit the COMNAP Awards page.
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COMNAP Welcomed | safe | respected speaker series: Best practice and interventions for accessible fieldwork
18 September 2025
Our invited speaker, Rebecca McCerery, Northumbria University, UK, shared with us practical information on best practice and positive interventions for ensuring field work is more assessable. Her talk focused on personal hygiene, toilet facilities, and menstruation management in remote field settings for field leaders and for expeditioners.
The information Becky shared is made available from the COMNAP WSR Library.
If you missed Becky presentation, you can watch the recording on the COMNAP YouTube channel.
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Antarctica InSync International Science Webinar
5 September 2025
The second Antarctica InSync International Science Webinar will take place over two days (09 September 2025, 07:00–09:30 UTC; 10 September 2025, 15:00–17:30 UTC) with each session offering the same core content.
For more information and to register to attend the event, visit Antarctica InSync website.