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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep/29/british-antarctic-survey-cuts-merger
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| Cuts threat to UK Antarctic research on climate change | Cuts threat to UK Antarctic research on climate change |
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| A row has broken out over the fate of one of the country's most distinguished scientific organisations, the British Antarctic Survey. The 60-year-old outfit, whose achievements have included the discovery of the hole in the ozone layer, is to be merged with the National Oceanography Centre in Southampton as part of a cost-saving exercise. | A row has broken out over the fate of one of the country's most distinguished scientific organisations, the British Antarctic Survey. The 60-year-old outfit, whose achievements have included the discovery of the hole in the ozone layer, is to be merged with the National Oceanography Centre in Southampton as part of a cost-saving exercise. |
| But the downgrade threat has outraged scientists and politicians who say it will seriously weaken Britain's scientific reputation and its ability to carry out climate research. "This is utterly foolish," said Tory MP Andrew Rosindell, chairman of the polar regions cross-party parliamentary group. "This will destabilise the work of polar scientists at a time when important climatic changes at the poles need to be investigated. My group will be calling on the government to stop this merger. This is an attempt to trash an important scientific organisation." | But the downgrade threat has outraged scientists and politicians who say it will seriously weaken Britain's scientific reputation and its ability to carry out climate research. "This is utterly foolish," said Tory MP Andrew Rosindell, chairman of the polar regions cross-party parliamentary group. "This will destabilise the work of polar scientists at a time when important climatic changes at the poles need to be investigated. My group will be calling on the government to stop this merger. This is an attempt to trash an important scientific organisation." |
| Jonathan Shanklin, one of the scientists who discovered the gap in the ozone layer in 1985, said: "The British Antarctic Survey is almost synonymous with the Antarctic ozone hole. Losing it would create a comparable hole in British science." | Jonathan Shanklin, one of the scientists who discovered the gap in the ozone layer in 1985, said: "The British Antarctic Survey is almost synonymous with the Antarctic ozone hole. Losing it would create a comparable hole in British science." |
| The merger – which would create a Centre for Ocean and Polar Science based in Southampton – has been proposed to satisfy government demands for major cuts to be made in the budget of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), which funds the BAS. Science minister David Willetts wants a 10% cut in NERC expenditure and a 45% reduction in its capital spending by 2015. Polar research, which is costly, has been chosen to take a major hit. | The merger – which would create a Centre for Ocean and Polar Science based in Southampton – has been proposed to satisfy government demands for major cuts to be made in the budget of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), which funds the BAS. Science minister David Willetts wants a 10% cut in NERC expenditure and a 45% reduction in its capital spending by 2015. Polar research, which is costly, has been chosen to take a major hit. |
| But the prospect of reducing polar research when Arctic sea ice coverage has dropped to its lowest summer level and parts of Antarctica are also showing signs of dangerous melting has been greeted with dismay. "BAS is a terrific world-leading organisation, tightly operated, and staffed by first-rate scientists," said a UK climate scientist. "Sadly, it does not seem to be highly regarded by its parent body, NERC." | But the prospect of reducing polar research when Arctic sea ice coverage has dropped to its lowest summer level and parts of Antarctica are also showing signs of dangerous melting has been greeted with dismay. "BAS is a terrific world-leading organisation, tightly operated, and staffed by first-rate scientists," said a UK climate scientist. "Sadly, it does not seem to be highly regarded by its parent body, NERC." |
| The organisation's director, Nick Owens, and its deputy director, Robert Culshaw, have left the survey since the merger was announced, so consultations are being run by the staff of the National Oceanography Centre. | The organisation's director, Nick Owens, and its deputy director, Robert Culshaw, have left the survey since the merger was announced, so consultations are being run by the staff of the National Oceanography Centre. |
| "The fact that the survey's director and deputy director have left and that consultations are being run from Southampton, where the survey will be moved, has sent morale plummeting among BAS staff," said another BAS scientist. Ed Hill, the Antarctic survey's interim director, said the merger would not lead to the closure of the BAS's Cambridge building. | "The fact that the survey's director and deputy director have left and that consultations are being run from Southampton, where the survey will be moved, has sent morale plummeting among BAS staff," said another BAS scientist. Ed Hill, the Antarctic survey's interim director, said the merger would not lead to the closure of the BAS's Cambridge building. |
| "Both marine and polar science need similar operational support, for example for sea vessels, and it makes sense to combine these," he added. "However, I cannot say there will be no reduction in numbers of BAS scientists – though any cuts that are made will follow from overall cuts to our budgets and will not be caused by the merger." | "Both marine and polar science need similar operational support, for example for sea vessels, and it makes sense to combine these," he added. "However, I cannot say there will be no reduction in numbers of BAS scientists – though any cuts that are made will follow from overall cuts to our budgets and will not be caused by the merger." |
| Most scientists remain scathing about the proposal, however. "This plan reveals the current government's apparent disregard for the broad benefits of an increased understanding of the Earth," said Bob Ward, of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change. "If the government wants to ensure the future prosperity and wellbeing of the UK, it needs to invest more, not less, in our world-class scientific organisations like the British Antarctic Survey." | Most scientists remain scathing about the proposal, however. "This plan reveals the current government's apparent disregard for the broad benefits of an increased understanding of the Earth," said Bob Ward, of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change. "If the government wants to ensure the future prosperity and wellbeing of the UK, it needs to invest more, not less, in our world-class scientific organisations like the British Antarctic Survey." |
| The environment campaigner Tony Juniper added: "Ministers and NERC need to take the longer view and do the right thing: keep the British Antarctic Survey intact, keep it properly funded, and keep it in Cambridge, in the world-leading research cluster in which it is embedded." | The environment campaigner Tony Juniper added: "Ministers and NERC need to take the longer view and do the right thing: keep the British Antarctic Survey intact, keep it properly funded, and keep it in Cambridge, in the world-leading research cluster in which it is embedded." |
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