The region of the Antarctic Peninsula (AP) is undergoing some of the most dramatic change in environmental character of any area on the planet.  Connections to global processes including perturbations in ocean temperature and atmospheric circulation are believed to be related to human induced influences, including stratospheric ozone loss and greenhouse gas emissions. The challenge to the global Antarctic community of scientists is to recognize how far reaching and fundamental the changes in the environment actually are within the earth systems of the AP. To this end a special symposium is proposed for the Annual AAAS meeting to be held in Chicago Illinois in February of 2014. The proponents represent a varied disciplinary perspective, which spans the early days of ecosystem study  to more recent investigations on the marine geologic character of the AP. We have invited and received confirmation of participation from global leaders in the disciplines they represent and we believe the symposium topic will attract a broad audience at the AAAS meeting and provide adequate synergy for discussion and further study.