The Count of Krigsvold is an institutional role held by James P. Howard, II. The office is oriented toward climate education, with a particular focus on Antarctica and related polar systems, and it is pursued through structured public explanation, careful advocacy, and support for research aligned with that educational mission.
The Count’s work is organized around clarity, continuity, and respect for established scientific and academic institutions. It is intended to complement, rather than duplicate, the efforts of researchers and organizations that directly conduct polar science.
The Count’s purpose is to advance public understanding of climate change by focusing attention on polar environments, particularly those in Antarctica that influence sea level, ocean circulation, and global climate dynamics. Polar systems often provide unusually clear evidence of physical change, and they can illuminate processes that are otherwise difficult to observe at lower latitudes.
A fuller statement of the Count’s approach is provided on the Mission and Method page.
The Count does not exercise governmental authority, regulatory jurisdiction, or scientific adjudication. The office does not claim sovereignty, territory, or policy-making power. Its role is educational and institutional, emphasizing the interpretation of credible science and the communication of why polar systems matter globally.
Where the site references real Antarctic features associated with the Count’s titles, those references are used as organizing frameworks rather than assertions of ownership or jurisdiction.
The Count’s activities fall into three broad categories:
These categories are described in more detail on the Research Support and Fellowship pages.
James P. Howard, II has a professional background in mathematics, statistics, and data science, with experience in public policy and public health. This perspective informs the Count’s emphasis on evidence, interpretability, and institutional clarity.
The title Count of Krigsvold is held within the Grand Duchy of Westarctica, a nonprofit organization oriented toward awareness and advocacy for Western Antarctica. The Count’s work as presented on this site is undertaken independently within the educational and institutional framework described here.
For information on Westarctica itself, readers may consult its official website.
The Count’s work rests on a simple proposition: that public understanding improves when complex systems are explained clearly, consistently, and with respect for scientific reality. Antarctica is remote, but its climate significance is direct. By focusing attention on polar systems, the Count of Krigsvold seeks to clarify why climate change is not only a subject of debate, but a set of measurable physical processes with long-term global consequences.