Bulletin 3 to ASPAC Members

February 2007

IGLO (International action on GLObal warming) is a worldwide initiative of the Association of Science-Technology Centres to raise public awareness of climate change and its impact. ASPAC is partnering with ASTC to support this initiative in association with International Polar Year (IPY) 2007-2008. For more information see ASTC's Project IGLO website.

International Polar Year is here!

ternational Polar Year (IPY) was launched on 1 March 2007. Did your science centre or museum host a launch or are you running some activities to celebrate? Interested in doing something for IPY but don't quite know where to start?

Breaking the Ice (.doc, 454 kB), outlines two activities you can get students in your area to do. The flyer can be personalised with your own logo and circulating the flyer to schools in your area is encouraged!

Or get some inspiration from events other organisations running by visiting:
IPY Australia for education and outreach events in Australia,
ASPAC for the Asia Pacific region,
IPY International for details of launch events around the world.

Release of Fourth Assessment Report by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

“Climate Change 2007” (also known as the Fourth Assessment Report or AR4) is a massive report contributed to by some 600 authors from 40 countries. On the 2nd February, Working Group I of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) adopted the assessment of climate change detailed in the Summary for Policymakers.

The adoption of this assessment comes in the wake of the Stern Review, creating global recognition of the impact that humans have in driving climate change. It is, in effect, yet another call to action from a growing multitude of sources and voices. More than ever, science centres and museums have a vital role to play in creating public awareness and understanding of the drivers and processes governing climate change.

Summary for Policymakers (.pdf 2.2MB)

climateXchange - An ASPAC initiative for Project IGLO launched at Questacon

As part of International Polar Year science centres and museums across the world are invited to get involved in climateXchange, a project designed to raise awareness of climate change by focussing on local impacts.

climateXchange was launched on the 1st of March at Questacon in Canberra, including a message from the Director of ASPAC, Ms Tengku Nasariah Ibrahim.

People are invited to submit a picture, written piece or video detailing how climate change affects them and their community. Submissions will be posted on a Web site later in the year to allow users to click on a location and view a perspective on climate change in that area.

Science centres are invited to promote this initiative and to encourage submissions from their community. Need some inspiration? Work with a school to create a video or work with a community group to create a visual exhibition of what climate change means to them. No matter what you decide to do - get involved and put your community on the climateXchange map!

climateXchange is an excellent opportunity to be involved in local, regional and even global collaborations to further awareness of climate change. Expand the reach of your centre and tap into new audiences in your own community, your own country and perhaps around the world. To send a submission, register your interest or ask a question, please contact ipy@questacon.edu.au

Visit ASPAC for more information.