Riders of public transportation in Brussels will have a reminder of the International Polar Year 2007-2008 for years to come.

A new metro station was named Belgica, a tribute to Belgian exploration in Antarctica and a reminder of the dangers of climate change. To retrace Belgium’s long history in Antarctica and celebrate the International Polar Year, two large murals depicting the polar regions and climate change have been painted on either side of the station’s underground platform.

 Belgica is the name of the ship on which Adrien de Gerlache led the first overwintering expedition in Antarctica in 1897-1898. In 2008, Brussels again made history by building the first “zero emission” research station, the Princess Elisabeth in East Antarctica. In addition to eco-friendly construction materials, clean and efficient energy use, and advanced  waste management techniques, the station provides state-of-the-art facilities for up to 16 scientists.

Research will be synchronized with an ongoing educational program, aimed to explain polar research and its contribution to understanding climate change.

Text and murals were provided for the metro station by the Brussels Institute for Environmental Management and the International Polar Foundation, a Belgium-based organization devoted to appreciation of the role of science and scientific research in the polar regions,