[SUMMARY] FAR in the Southern Connections: Antarctica and the Pacific, navigating from heritage to climate resilience

Conference Summary

Held in Hobart from 4 to 6 March 2026, FAR in the Southern Connections: Antarctica and the Pacific, Navigating from Heritage to Climate Resilience brought together researchers, policymakers, operational experts, cultural actors, and Pacific representatives to reflect on the deep interconnections between Antarctica, the Southern Ocean, and the Pacific. Across three days of keynotes, panels, and discussions, the event highlighted both the historical depth of French-Australian cooperation and the urgent contemporary need to mobilise science, diplomacy, and inclusive partnerships in response to climate and environmental change.

From the outset, the conference was framed by a strong emphasis on respect for First Nations custodianship, recognition of the Palawa-Pakana peoples of Lutruwita/Tasmania, and the importance of Indigenous knowledge in shaping future approaches to research and governance. This grounding in place and history gave particular resonance to the conference’s central proposition: that the links between heritage, science, and resilience are not symbolic, but practical and continuous.

The opening sessions established the core themes of the conference. Speakers from AFRAN, IMAS, the Embassy of France to Australia, and partner institutions emphasised the long-standing nature of French-Australian Antarctic collaboration, rooted in shared logistical pathways, scientific partnerships, and diplomatic leadership. The 35th anniversary of the Madrid Protocol was repeatedly invoked as a major milestone, recalling the decisive role France and Australia played in protecting Antarctica from mineral exploitation and affirming the continent as a natural reserve devoted to peace and science. This legal and diplomatic legacy was presented not as a finished achievement, but as a framework that must now be defended and renewed under conditions of increasing geopolitical strain and accelerating environmental change.

A major focus of the conference was the role of Antarctic and Southern Ocean science in understanding global climate systems. Presentations by Antarctic scientists underscored that Antarctica and the Southern Ocean act as the “engine room” of the global climate, regulating heat uptake, carbon absorption, sea ice dynamics, ocean overturning circulation, and ultimately sea level rise. Scientific evidence presented throughout the event showed that these systems are changing rapidly. The Southern Ocean absorbs a very large share of the planet’s excess heat and carbon dioxide, while the Antarctic ice sheet is already contributing to rising seas. The loss of sea ice, weakening of circulation systems, changes in carbon uptake, and ecological shifts in marine and terrestrial ecosystems were all discussed as signs of profound and potentially destabilising transformation.

The conference repeatedly stressed that what happens in Antarctica does not stay in Antarctica. This was especially clear in the sessions dedicated to the Pacific, which explored how Antarctic and Southern Ocean processes shape Pacific climates, coastlines, food systems, and livelihoods. Speakers with Pacific experience and expertise highlighted the very real implications of Antarctic change for small island developing states, particularly through sea level rise, shifting rainfall systems, marine heatwaves, and threats to fisheries and food security. The vulnerability of Pacific communities was never presented in abstract terms. Rather, participants spoke of already observed losses: changes in shorelines, water tables, cultural sites, and local livelihoods. The discussion made clear that for many Pacific communities, climate change is not only a matter of “impact” but of loss, displacement, and survival.

A recurring theme throughout the event was the gap between scientific knowledge and policy uptake. Antarctic and ocean science is producing increasingly sophisticated evidence, yet speakers from both science and policy backgrounds acknowledged that this knowledge does not always reach decision-makers in forms that are timely, accessible, or actionable. This was especially noted in relation to Pacific leaders and negotiators, who need information that speaks directly to thresholds, timing, and consequences. Several participants argued that the challenge is not simply to simplify science, but to contextualise it: to translate it into the languages, priorities, and institutional frameworks of the people who must use it. In this regard, projects linking researchers, Pacific practitioners, and communities as the YES project led by Dr Viliamu Iese, were presented as especially valuable, because they begin by connecting people and knowledge systems before trying to connect institutions.

The sessions on monitoring, biodiversity, and governance highlighted both progress and persistent structural weaknesses. Presentations on CCAMLR, IFREMER, sub-Antarctic biodiversity data, and Southern Ocean ecosystems showed the extent to which long-term observation, marine monitoring, and ecosystem-based approaches have developed over recent decades. At the same time, speakers acknowledged major limitations: monitoring remains uneven, access to data can be constrained, attribution of environmental change remains difficult, and governance responses are often slower than the pace of ecological change. The challenge of distinguishing between climate-driven and human-driven changes in systems such as krill fisheries, sea ice variability, and ecosystem shifts remains considerable. Participants also stressed the importance of open, calibrated, interoperable data systems and the need for more agile, cooperative scientific infrastructures.

Human presence in Antarctica was another major thread, explored from multiple angles: research stations, logistics, shipping, tourism, and environmental footprint. Speakers on this theme showed that while the total number of humans who have ever been to Antarctica is very small, human activity is concentrated in the same ice-free coastal areas that host much of Antarctica’s biodiversity. This makes localised impacts potentially severe. Wastewater discharge, oil spills, legacy contamination, ship biofouling, and the introduction of non-native species were identified as major environmental risks. Climate change compounds these risks by altering coastal ice conditions and reducing the natural cleaning effect of sea ice on ship hulls. The growth of tourism, especially expedition tourism, was discussed as a pressing governance challenge. Although tourism can support awareness and public engagement, there was broad recognition that current regulation remains incomplete, and that the Antarctic Treaty system still lacks a binding, dedicated framework capable of addressing tourism growth and diversification in a coherent way.

The operational realities behind Antarctic science were vividly illustrated in the sessions held aboard L’Astrolabe, where logistics, cooperation, and risk were foregrounded. Presentations by French and Australian operators demonstrated that Antarctic research depends on complex, high-risk, and deeply collaborative infrastructures. Sea ice conditions, weather unpredictability, isolation, fuel logistics, and operational safety remain constant constraints. Yet this domain also offered some of the strongest examples of practical French-Australian cooperation, from shared inspections and mutual support to long-standing coordination in the sub-Antarctic and East Antarctic sectors. The model of shared stations and facilities, especially Concordia, was repeatedly cited as an example of effective cooperation and a possible direction for future efficiency and sustainability.

A particularly rich strand of the conference explored the historical foundations of French-Australian connections, linking early exploration with modern scientific ambition. The final day reflected on the legacy of French navigators and scientists such as Marion Dufresne, d’Entrecasteaux, Baudin, Freycinet, and Dumont d’Urville, whose expeditions helped map Tasmania, the Pacific, and Antarctica while also producing foundational scientific records. These discussions were sharpened by the recent UNESCO Memory of the World recognition for the d’Entrecasteaux archives. Yet these sessions did not romanticise exploration. They also raised the question of whose knowledge was recorded, whose names remained in the landscape, and whose presence was omitted or marginalised in the written record. Strong attention was given to Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property, and to the need for ethical handling of archival materials and stronger engagement with contemporary Aboriginal communities in Tasmania.

This historical reflection was powerfully extended into the present by the final keynote on the Perseverance and the Polar Pod projects, which showed how exploration continues today in new forms. Modern scientific missions still require courage, ingenuity, and endurance, but they are now also embedded in global data systems, collaborative observation networks, and long-term climate monitoring strategies. In a striking way, the final day of the conference encapsulated the whole event’s trajectory: from the age of sail to modern polar science, from naming coastlines to tracking carbon, from collecting specimens to observing planetary change.

While FAR 2026 was primarily a scientific and policy-focused conference, it also deliberately created space for community engagement, storytelling, and representation, highlighting the human dimensions of Antarctic research and exploration. On the evening of the 4th of March, participants attended a screening of the documentary Voyage au Pôle Sud by Luc Jacquet. The film, widely appreciated for its poetic narrative and striking imagery, offered a different lens on Antarctica—one that complements scientific understanding with emotional depth and sensory experience. The screening was preceded by a keynote from Hobart-based filmmaker Dr Frédérique Olivier, who reflected on her journey from science to filmmaking and on more than 20 years of experience in Antarctica and the Pacific. She emphasised the strong connections between scientific observation and visual storytelling, noting that both seek to make sense of complex and changing environments. Her intervention also provided a powerful perspective on the evolution of climate awareness: while climate change was still debated two decades ago, its impacts were already visible in Pacific island communities. Today, the scientific consensus has strengthened significantly, with increasingly stark projections—including the likely functional extinction of Emperor penguins within a century. Beyond these observations, she conveyed a deep personal attachment to Antarctica, describing both its beauty and the sense that it continually “calls her back.”

The conference concluded with a dedicated event celebrating Women in Antarctica, organised in partnership with the Antarctic Women’s Network. The event centred on the exhibition Through Our Eyes, which documents the experiences of women working in Antarctic environments through portraits, audio testimonies, and personal narratives. The exhibition itself reflects a journey between contexts, having been presented in both Hobart and Paris, requiring adaptation to different audiences and spaces. During the session, two contributors to the exhibition shared their testimonies in person, bringing to life their individual experiences of Antarctica. The strong presence of many women featured in the exhibition within the audience reinforced a sense of community, recognition, and shared experience. Together, these two moments highlighted that Antarctica is not only a site of scientific investigation, but also a space of stories, identities, and lived experiences. They underscored the importance of complementing scientific knowledge with cultural perspectives, and of ensuring that the voices shaping Antarctic narratives are diverse and inclusive.

Overall, FAR 2026 demonstrated that French-Australian cooperation in the Antarctic and Pacific is both historical and forward-looking. It is rooted in shared diplomatic achievements, strengthened through logistics and science, and increasingly called upon to respond to a world marked by climate disruption, biodiversity loss, and geopolitical uncertainty. The conference also made clear that future cooperation must be broader than bilateral institutional ties alone. It must include Pacific voices, Indigenous perspectives, early-career researchers, interdisciplinary approaches, and stronger mechanisms for turning evidence into action.

The central lesson of the conference was that heritage and resilience are not separate agendas. The legacies of exploration, diplomacy, and scientific collaboration shape how France, Australia, and their partners understand the southern regions today. In turn, the choices made now—in science, policy, communication, and governance—will determine whether those legacies become a foundation for resilience, or a missed opportunity in the face of accelerating change.

We warmly thank HE Pierre-André Imbert, Dr Manon Simon, Prof Delphine Lannuzel, M Olivier Boasson, Dr Kimberley Coulson, Dr Patricia Miloslavich, Dr David Agnew, Ms Isabelle Forge Allegret, Dr Samuel Beale, Dr Joel Pedro, Ms Franka Neumann, Dr Marion Fourquez, Dr Frederique Olivier, Dr Liz Brierley, Dr Clothilde Langlais, Dr Viliamu Iese, Dr Sophie Cravatte, Ms Patricia Mallam, Dr Phillip Reid, Dr Ben Galton-Fenzi, Dr Vanessa Pirotta, Dr So Kawaguchi, Prof Elizabeth Leane, Dr Jonny Stark, Dr Dana Bergstrom, Mr Gregory Tran, CF Antoine Collin, M Mikael Quimbert, Dr Philippe Ziegler, Prof Steven Chown, Prof Mary-Anne Lea, M Ewan McIvor, Dr Benoit Legresy, Dr Felicity McCormack, CV Yann Le Roux, Prof Veronique Duche, M Clement Verger, A/Prof Danielle Clode, Dr Marion Fourquez, Ms Karen Rees, Dr Miranda Nieboer, Dr Noemie Friscourt, Ms Liz Pope for their participation in this event sharing their expertise and experience. We also thank the audience which has strongly participated shaping the discussions. Finally, we thank the organising team and local partner for putting so much efforts to set up the event and aknowledge the strong and ongoing support of the Embassy of France to Australia. Find out about the program and bios on the event page.