If you wanted to find a place that is the exact opposite of Antarctica, you would be hard pressed to find a place more appropriate than New Delhi in India. It is 32 degrees at New Delhi today and raining. At South Pole it is -49 degrees Celsius and snowing. Not only is the weather different, but the color of the sky and the earth, sounds and smells, and even fashion sense represent two distinct worlds.

At the 30th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting in New Delhi this week, delegates have been discussing environmental and legal issues over curry and copious amounts of strong tea. The IPY has also been an important item on the agenda. Yesterday, Professor Chris Rapley made a presentation to update the Treaty parties on the progress of IPY. I also made a presentation, as the leader of endorsed project #454 "Enhancing the environmental legacy of the IPY in Antarctica". I presented a map showing where IPY activities will be in Antarctica. It is a very good visual to remind delegates that cumulative impact assessments need to be done for all Antarctic activities before they happen. In the case of the IPY, such an assessment has not been done although the IPY officially began on 1 March.

The meeting continues until 11 May and I will be periodically sending back blogs about the curious world of penguins and sarees.

Tina

Photos:Delhi Tourism/ATCM XXX