International Collaboration and Science Diplomacy: Peruvian Academia's Involvement in Understanding the Antarctic Climate and Southern Ocean Chlorophyll-a distribution

The polar regions play a crucial role in regulating the planet's climate; however, they are highly sensitive to climate change. As part of initiatives to improve our understanding of the interactions between the Antarctic cryosphere and the Southern Ocean, the International Antarctic Coastal Circumnavigation Expedition (ICCE) was conducted between November 2024 and January 2025, with the participation of 56 researchers from different countries. In this document, we examine Peru's participation in the ICCE as a case of effective science diplomacy. Based on this experience, we propose that Peru strengthen its National Antarctic Policy, its position as a Consultative Party in the Antarctic Treaty, its contribution to international cooperation, and the generation of key scientific evidence for climate-related decision-making.