Understanding how the earth system works is paramount in establishing a policy of sustainable development. Recent findings highlighted the importance of the Polar Regions in the global weather and climate systems, their value as a treasure house for past environmental archives and their key role in major bio-geochemical cycles. Antarctica has also proved to be ideally situated not only to study life processes in an extreme (cold) environment but also to observe geophysical and astronomical phenomena.

In order to further this challenging endeavour and to facilitate Belgian scientists in their Antarctic work, a panel of experts (commissioned by BELSPO) recommended the re-opening of a Belgian scientific station in Antarctica (BELSPO, 2002). Such a station, open to all countries interested in conducting research activities in this part of Antarctica, would foster scientific cooperation with other research programmes and significantly enhance Belgium's visibility within the Antarct Treaty System.

The Madrid Protocole about the Environmental Protection of Antarctica designated this continent as a natural reserve dedicated to peace and science. This protection depends on efforts made by the signatory countries of the Treaty and is coordinated by the Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP). The questions related to climate change and invasion by non-native species are listed among the first three priorities for the work plan of the CEP during the next 5 years (Annexe 1, http://www.ats.aq/documents/ATCM31/rp/atcm31_rp003_rev4_e.pdf ).

The new Belgian research station will replace the former Belgian Roi Baudouin base, built in 1958 on the ice shelf at Breid Bay in Dronning Maud Land. The new station will be erected on the Utsteinen Ridge (71°57'S; 023°21'E), situated at the foot of the Sør Rondane Mountains, Dronning Maud Land, 173 km inland from the former Roi Baudouin base (1958-1967) and 55 km from the former Japanese Asuka station (1986-1992). Positioned halfway between the Japanese Syowa station (684 km) and the Russian Novolazarevskaya station (431 km), it will fill in a 1072 km unoccupied stretch between these two stations in one of the least occupied sector of Antarctica that has only been intermittenly investigated since the International Geophysical Year (IGY).

Although at present, it is designed as a summer station only, power supply will be such that continuous year-round monitoring will also be feasible, allowing the station to function as an important node in the network of solid earth and upper air geophysical observations. The station will also be situated in the exit area of the Gunnestadbreen, one of the major outlet glaciers of the Sør Rondane, giving access to the inland Plateau (Japanese Dome Fuji Station: 765 km; German Heinz Kohnen Station: 807 km).

The station therefore occupies a central position for investigating the characteristic sequence of Antarctic geographical regions (polynia, coast, ice shelf, ice sheet, marginal mountain aera and dry valleys, inland plateau) within a radius of 200 kms. By monitoring environmental changes, Belgium hopes to take up its full responsabilities with respect to the aspects of environmental protection in Antarctica.

The station will be designed as "state of the art" with respect to sustainable development, energy consumption and waste disposal, with a minimum lifetime of 25 years. If dismantling of the station is required, no significant or very little remnants of the occupation will be left, in order to meet the requirements of the Environmental Protocol and relevant Belgian domestic law.

With this initiative taking place during the 4th IPY, Belgium wants to contribute to a new era of high-tech Antarctic stations, offering a platform for science and exploration, open to the international scientific community.