Number of expeditioners undergoing formal environmental training

Full description

This indicator is no longer maintained, and is considered OBSOLETE.

INDICATOR DEFINITION
The number of personnel undergoing formal training in environmental protection and management for participation in the Australian Antarctic Program (AAP)

TYPE OF INDICATOR
There are three types of indicators used in this report:
1.Describes the CONDITION of important elements of a system;
2.Show the extent of the major PRESSURES exerted on a system;
3.Determine RESPONSES to either condition or changes in the condition of a system.

This indicator is one of: PRESSURE

RATIONALE FOR INDICATOR SELECTION
Protection of the Antarctic environment is a goal and responsibility set down by international agreements such as the Antarctic Treaty and Madrid Protocol, and additionally by the Australian Government. In order to meet this goal, personnel who participate in the Australian Antarctic Program (AAP) have been informed of their responsibilities for environmental protection and management as part of the expeditioner induction process.

Since the 2001/02 season, the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) has required expeditioners to undertake a formal training program in which their collective and individual responsibilities for environmental protection and management are outlined and discussed. This program consists of environment induction sessions held at the AAD headquarters and practical sessions held at the AAD's field training facility. From the 2003/04 season onwards, it is anticipated that expeditioners will also be required to undergo assessment following this training.

This indicator offers a method for quantifying and monitoring the level of expeditioner awareness of environmental issues, and the skills with which they work toward the goals of environmental protection and management.

DESIGN AND STRATEGY FOR INDICATOR MONITORING PROGRAM
Spatial scale: Australian Antarctic and Subantarctic stations and field camps.

Frequency: Annual

Measurement technique: Data for this Indicator is routinely collected by the AAD's Operations Branch.

RESEARCH ISSUES
The environment training program will be reviewed regularly to ensure that training is effective in meeting the goal of protecting the Antarctic environment. Feedback from expeditioners participating in the training program and from Station Management in Antarctica is integral to the process of review and improvement. Expeditioners travelling to Antarctica will be subject to formal assessment following completion of the environment training program.

LINKS TO OTHER INDICATORS
SOE Indicator 47 - Number and nature of incidents resulting in environmental impact
SOE Indicator 48 - Station and ship person days
SOE Indicator 50 - Volume of wastewater discharged from Australian Antarctic Stations
SOE Indicator 51 - Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) of wastewater discharged from Australian Antarctic Stations
SOE Indicator 52 - Suspended solids (SS) content of wastewater discharged from Australian Antarctic Stations
SOE Indicator 53 - Waste returned to Australia
SOE Indicator 54 - Amount of waste incinerated at Australian stations
SOE Indicator 55 - Number of known contaminated sites in the Australian Antarctic Territory
SOE Indicator 56 - Monthly fuel usage of the generator sets and boilers
SOE Indicator 57 - Monthly total of fuel used by station incinerators
SOE Indicator 58 - Monthly total of fuel used by station vehicles
SOE Indicator 59 - Monthly electricity usage
SOE Indicator 60 - Total helicopter hours
SOE Indicator 61 - Total potable water consumption at Australian Antarctic Stations
SOE Indicator 69 - Resources committed to environmental issues

Lineage

Progress Code: completed

Statement: This indicator is now OBSOLETE. These data are no longer archived in this location, and are therefore not up-to-date. The total number of people travelling to Antarctica in a given season includes only those personnel who arrive in Antarctica during that season. Winter expeditioners who are already in Antarctica at the beginning of the season are included in the previous season's count. Ship-based expeditioners, including voyage management, marine science and round-trip personnel are not required to undertake formal environmental training. Some personnel receive exemption from the environmental training program. Such exemptions must be approved by members of the AAD executive. Overseas expeditioners often arrive very close to departure time and are unable to participate in the environment induction program due to time constraints.