Dozens of crucial climate science projects including studies of record low sea ice and rapidly declining penguin populations are set to be cancelled, delayed or restricted due to budget pressures at the Australian Antarctic Division.
Internal documents seen by Guardian Australia also reveal the “cleaner Antarctica program”, which remediates the damage caused by human activity including diesel spills, cannot be supported “due to budget constraints”.
Last year, the division described the remediation work as its “flagship science project” that would provide a “clean up strategy for Australia’s contaminated sites” and “enhance Australia’s scientific and environmental leadership in Antarctica”.
Multiple insiders, who asked to speak anonymously, have confirmed two of Australia’s research stations, Mawson and Davis, will not be fully staffed during the summer season, which is the peak period of science, due to budget constraints.
Workers were briefed on plans to reduce the stations’ staffing levels last week, but many remain unclear about the future of their research. Their frustration comes about 18 months after the Morrison government announced an $800m investment in the division to keep the continent “free from conflict”
Scientists based at universities, which rely on the AAD for logistics and transport, have also complained about “a domino effect” caused by division’s budget pressures, which are now affecting their research.
Others are concerned that research is being cancelled or delayed when responses to the climate crisis are urgently needed. Last week, Guardian Australia reported on fears a “shocking shift” in record low sea ice levels and concerns the beginning of a global heating-linked event could have alarming knock-on effects.
The internal document, dated 20 July, shows the list of projects the head of division considers possible when considering budget constraints, logistics and operational challenges. The list, which could still be revised before the summer research season begins, identifies 56 initiatives that cannot be supported.
At Davis station, only one priority project can be fully supported by the division. Studies that cannot be supported “due to budget restraints” include an “airborne” survey of sea ice thickness, and “observations of Antarctic land-fast sea ice”. The “East Antarctic Margin Ice Zone Study” is not supported from Davis, but can continue from Casey.
Six scientists will not travel to Davis or Mawson to monitor Antarctic breeding seabirds, although some staff will assist the project in their absence. The document warns budget pressures may mean Australia does not meet its international obligations to collect data, manage the population and monitor avian flu.
“This is a ten-year project that has been supported by station staff for the last three years, meaning that only a subset of government outcomes has been achieved,” the document said.
At Mawson station, “summer project work requiring tickets for project personnel cannot be supported”. These projects including monitoring of the Southern Ocean’s sea floor, studies of underwater biodiversity, and “effective territories administration”.
Study of “greenhouse gases in the Southern Atmosphere” and “UV monitoring” at Mawson can only be partially supported with scientists unable to visit the station. Other staff at the station can assist the project.
The division will undertake the majority of priority work at Australia’s largest station, Casey. These projects include the million-year ice core, an ambitious quest to study atmospheric data trapped in ice.
When contacted by Guardian Australia about the document’s recommendations, an AAD spokesperson said the program “continues to prioritise critical science that supports understanding of climate, ecosystems and environmental stewardship”.
“Australia’s climate science is globally important and the Australian Antarctic Program will continue to deliver our priority science initiatives, such as the million year ice core and the denman terrestrial campaign.”
The spokesperson said the draft season plan “provides support to continue delivering these two priority science projects that will be ongoing for years to come and help inform global decisions on climate change”.
“The AAD’s annual season plans are based on priorities articulated through the Australian Antarctic Science Strategic Plan and the Australian Antarctic Strategy and 20-year Action Plan, released in 2016,” the spokesperson said.
Last week, the division outlined it must find $25m of savings in 12 months, due largely to an overspend and an efficiency dividend limiting the amount of money it can spend on external consultants and labour.
Director of the AAD, Emma Campbell, told staff on Friday she had “asked the Antarctic operations committee to revisit the season plan with a view to finding savings”.
“The season represents a large proportion of our budget so looking here makes sense,” Campbell wrote. “We need to trim our planned activities to meet our budget. We will need to carefully consider our current staffing levels and the current focus of roles.”
The budget restraints have added to frustration caused by the pandemic, which stopped almost all research on the continent, and technical issues with Australia’s new icebreaking vessel Nuyina that forced the division to charter replacement supply vessels.
