SHASHWAT GUPTA RAY
shashwat@herald-goa.com
VASCO: Goa-based National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) firmly strengthened its leadership in polar research within Asia further after the Emirates Polar Mission Steering Committee, United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for capacity building in climate change studies, NCPOR Director, Dr Thamban Meloth said.
“India through its polar programme in the Southern Ocean has facilitated international participation. This MoU further strengthens NCPOR’s leadership role in polar research within Asia. Currently, India is the Chair of the Asian Forum for Polar Sciences. With over four decades of India’s sustained presence in polar regions, and 25 years of NCPOR, we have emerged as a key player in polar research and operations,” Dr Meloth told O Heraldo.
The MoU exchange took place during the 15th India-UAE Joint Commission Meeting held in New Delhi.
“Beyond advancing its own scientific missions, NCPOR also facilitates international collaborations. Notably, scientists from Mauritius and Bangladesh participated in the 43rd Indian Scientific Expedition to Antarctica, conducting research in Eastern Antarctica,” the NCPOR director said.
When asked about how NCPOR is going to help the Emirates Polar Mission in its endeavour, Dr Meloth said, “Being first Consultative Party to Antarctic Treaty from Asia, India has excellent experience in polar science and strategic affairs. Also, India has expertise in all three poles, including Himalaya. This long leadership and legacy will help UAE to develop an advanced programme on polar affairs.”
It is about mentoring UAE scientists and also providing them requisite support for undertaking polar science studies, he said.
As a nodal agency for Indian Polar Programmes under India’s Ministry of Earth Sciences, NCPOR operates year-round research stations in Antarctica (Maitri and Bharati) and the Arctic (Himadri).
“Through this MoU, NCPOR can facilitate training and capacity-building programs for UAE scientists, with specific collaborative activities in climate change studies and workshops for sensitisation of polar research domains which will be finalised as per mutual requirements,” he said.
Informing on how this MoU will help the UAE, the NCPOR Director said that the Emirates don’t have background in the Polar Regions, and much dedicated facilities for polar research. “However, keeping in view the unprecedented impacts of climate change, they also want to have scientific activities in the Arctic and Antarctica. Through this MoU, NCPOR can facilitate in their scientific activities in the polar regions,” he said
Despite being a desert State, over a period of less than 24 hours on April 16, the UAE experienced its heaviest rainfall since records began 75 years ago, with sources recording a years’ worth of rain falling in one day. The record-breaking rains created destructive flooding and chaos.