International Arctic Science Committee Definition and Mission The International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) is a non-governmental, international scientific organization. The mission of IASC is to encourage and facilitate cooperation in all aspects of Arctic research, in all countries engaged in Arctic research and in all areas of the Arctic region, by promoting and supporting leading-edge multi-disciplinary research to foster a greater scientific understanding of the Arctic region and its role in the Earth system.

International Arctic Science Committee Member Countries IASC´s membership today includes national science organizations from 21 countries involved in Arctic research. IASC is an International Scientific Associate of the International Council for Science (ICSU) and observer on the Arctic Council.

International Arctic Science Committee Organizational Structure IASC draws on an organizational structure that provides mechanisms for initiating and implementing cutting-edge science-led international programs.

International Arctic Science Committee Council, Executive Committee and Secretariat Representatives of the national science organizations from all 21 IASC member countries form the IASC Council.Representatives of the national science organizations from all 21 IASC member countries form the IASC Council. Council usually meets once a year during the Arctic Science Summit Week (ASSW).Council usually meets once a year during the Arctic Science Summit Week (ASSW). An Executive Committee, consisting of an elected President, four elected Vice-Presidents and a permanent Executive Secretary operates as a Board of Directors and manages IASC activities between Council meetings.An Executive Committee, consisting of an elected President, four elected Vice-Presidents and a permanent Executive Secretary operates as a Board of Directors and manages IASC activities between Council meetings. The Secretariat is currently hosted by the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine in Potsdam (Germany), and is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the organization.The Secretariat is currently hosted by the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine in Potsdam (Germany), and is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the organization.

International Arctic Science Committee Working Groups Working Groups are IASC´s main scientific working bodies. They identify and formulate science plans, act as scientific advisory boards to the IASC Council and assist IASC in the implementation of its science mission.  Terrestrial Working Group  Cryosphere Working Group  Marine Working Group / Arctic Ocean Sciences Board  Atmosphere Working Group  Social & Human Working Group

International Arctic Science Committee Steering Group Chair: Terry Callaghan Vice-Chair: Benjamin Vinegla Vice-Chair: Warwick. F. Vincent Vice-Chair: Torben Christensen Determining the role of connectivity in the functioning of arctic terrestrial systems, including connections within the arctic and the global system Determining the net effect of the terrestrial and freshwater environmental and biosphere’s processes that amplify or moderate climate warming Developing unifying concepts, fundamental theories and computer models of the interactions among species, interactions between species and their environment, and the biology of life in extreme environments Estimating past changes in arctic geo- and biodiversity, measuring current change and predicting future changes Scientific Foci Developing high spatial resolution models of terrestrial geosystem and ecosystem change, and other tools that can be used by arctic stakeholders for adaptation strategies and sustainable management of natural resources and ecosystem services Terrestrial Working Group

International Arctic Science Committee Cryosphere Working Group Scientific Foci Sea-ice boundary layer dynamics, particularly as they relate to biogeochemical exchanges and polar amplification. Permafrost, including support of activities being undertaken by the International Permafrost Association. Tidewater glacier dynamics and response to climate change, with a focus on methods for studying these issues. This activity is intended to have a large early career scientist and training component. Steering Group Vice-Chair: Tetsuo Ohata Vice-Chair: Pedro Elosegui Vice-Chair: Julian Dowdeswell Chair: Martin Sharp

International Arctic Science Committee Marine Working Group Scientific Foci Predicting and understanding rapid changes to the Arctic Ocean system Facilitating Deep Sea drilling in the Arctic Ocean Understanding sea ice structure dynamics and the Arctic system Understanding biological and ecosystem processes in the Arctic and Sub-arctic seas Understanding geochemical processes in the Arctic and Sub-arctic seas Steering Group Past Chair: Savi Narayanan Past Chair: Savi Narayanan Vice-Chair: Rolf Gradinger Vice-Chair: Jinping Zhao Chair: Bert Rudels

International Arctic Science Committee Steering Group Vice-Chair: Michael Tjernström Vice-Chair: Michael Tjernström Vice-Chair: Hiroshi Tanaka Chair: James Overland Scientific Foci Polar Climate Predictability : Polar Climate Predictability is an issue of growing concern particularly as it becomes clear that Arctic amplification has an impact on lower latitudes. IASC, together with WCRP can play a leading role in bringing the international community together to address issues related to decadal and multi-decadal prediction. Long-term, International Sea Ice Observatory : The AWG has as a priority the initiation of planning and design a long-term, international, observational in order to provide much needed observations to support regional and global climate model simulations. Historical Data Retrieval and Reanalysis : The AWG will provide support for historical data retrieval and reanalysis to inform current observations, models and policy makers. Atmosphere Working Group

International Arctic Science Committee Steering Group Chair: Peter Schweitzer Vice-Chair: Sylvie Blangy Vice-Chair: Gail Fondahl Past Chair: Louwrens Hacquebord Exploitation of natural resources: past, present, future Scientific Foci Histories and methodologies of arctic sciences and arts Indigenous peoples and change: adaptation and cultural and power dynamics Security, international law and cooperation Cross-cutting Human health, wellbeing and ecosystem change Collaborative community research on climate change Competing forms of resource use in a changing environment People and coastal processes Perceptions and representations of arctic science Social & Human Working Group

International Arctic Science Committee Participants of the IASC Working Groups Workshop, January 2011, Potsdam

International Arctic Science Committee Actions Groups are providing strategic advice to the IASC Council concerning both long-term activities and urgent needs. They are small expert groups that act within a limited timeframe of two years.  Joint SCAR/IASC Bipolar Action Group on Science Development  Data Policy Group  Action Group on Geosciences Action Groups

International Arctic Science Committee Formed in 2008 with the objectives to advice the SCAR and IASC Executive Committees on how SCAR and IASC can work together most effectively, e.g. through development of joint SCAR-IASC workshops, programs and networks addressing bipolar issues, and on how SCAR and IASC can work together most effectively, e.g. through development of joint SCAR-IASC workshops, programs and networks addressing bipolar issues, and on the development of mechanisms to nurture the IPY legacy, with a focus on the roles of SCAR and IASC. on the development of mechanisms to nurture the IPY legacy, with a focus on the roles of SCAR and IASC. Renewed in 2010 (for another two years) with the objective to advice SCAR and IASC on bipolar science. The IPY legacy tasks was taken over by the SCAR and IASC Executive Committees. Participants of the second BipAG II, May BipAG II is chaired by Cynan Ellis-Evans (NERC Arctic Office, UK) SCAR-IASC Bipolar Action Group (BipAG)

International Arctic Science Committee A small advisory group of external experts formed in 2012 to reinforce IASC’s commitment to robust data management and sharing activities. The Data Policy Group will recommend a data policy, including steps toward its implementation, that would provide guidance for IASC supported activities. The group is chaired by Mark Parsons (US National Snow and Ice Data Center), who previously served as a co-chair of the IPY Data Subcommittee. IASC Data Policy Group

International Arctic Science Committee Formed in 2012, the IASC Action Group on Geosciences will particularly address emerging research questions in the field of: Arctic solid-earth geoscience, including Arctic tectonic evolution and the exploration of the ridge systems; Arctic solid-earth geoscience, including Arctic tectonic evolution and the exploration of the ridge systems; sedimentary records and climatic and environmental history obtained from marine and lake sediments, ice cores and permafrost deposits; sedimentary records and climatic and environmental history obtained from marine and lake sediments, ice cores and permafrost deposits; geologic and geochemical processes especially related to the stability of permafrost and of gas hydrate deposits known to underlie the continental slopes of the Arctic Ocean Basin; geologic and geochemical processes especially related to the stability of permafrost and of gas hydrate deposits known to underlie the continental slopes of the Arctic Ocean Basin; seismic risk of the Arctic regions. seismic risk of the Arctic regions. The group is chaired by Carlo Barbante (University of Venice, Italy) and reports to IASC Council on emerging fields in Arctic geosciences, in order to better address, coordinate and prioritize the research efforts at national and international level. IASC Action Group on Geosciences

International Arctic Science Committee Arctic Climate System Network (ACSNet) Arctic Climate System Network (ACSNet) Arctic Coastal Dynamics (ACD) Arctic Coastal Dynamics (ACD) Circum-Arctic Lithosphere Evolution (CALE) Circum-Arctic Lithosphere Evolution (CALE) Network on Arctic Glaciology (NAG) Network on Arctic Glaciology (NAG) Palaeo-Arctic Spatial and Temporal Gateways (PAST Gateways) Palaeo-Arctic Spatial and Temporal Gateways (PAST Gateways) Polar Archaeology Network (PAN) polararchaeologynetwork.blogg.no Polar Archaeology Network (PAN) polararchaeologynetwork.blogg.no IASC Networks Networks are  IASC-endorsed, thematic groups;  address specific scientific issues on a circum-arctic scale;  strive to involve early career scientists.

International Arctic Science Committee IASC Partner Organizations MoU: Memorandum of Understanding LoA: Letter of Agreement

International Arctic Science Committee Highlights and Major Achievements

International Arctic Science Committee Arctic Science Summit Week (ASSW)  Initiated by IASC in 1999  Most important annual gathering of the Arctic research organizations  Provides opportunities for coordination, cooperation and collaboration  Any organization engaged in Arctic research may participate  In odd number years includes a 3-day Science Symposium  Has been held in a dozen different IASC member countries  ASSW 2015 Japan  ASSW 2014 Helsinki, Finland  ASSW 2013 Krakow, Poland  ASSW 2012 Montreal, Canada  ASSW 2011 Seoul, Korea  ASSW 2010 Nuuk, Greenland  ASSW 2009 Bergen, Norway  ASSW 2008 Syktyvkar, Russia  ASSW 2007 Hannover, NH, USA  ASSW 2006 Potsdam, Germany  ASSW 2005 Kunming, China  ASSW 2004 Reykjavik, Iceland  ASSW 2003 Kiruna, Sweden  ASSW 2002 Groningen, Netherlands  ASSW 2001 Iqaluit, Canada  ASSW 2000 Cambridge, UK  ASSW 1999 Tromsø, Norway

International Arctic Science Committee International Conference on Arctic Research Planning (ICARP) An Arctic Science Conference, convened periodically by IASC and its partners to identify key scientific questions and issues.  ICARP I, held in Hanover NH 1995, reviewed the state of Arctic science and resulted in a series of IASC-supported research projects.  ICARP II, held in Copenhagen 2005, developed twelve forward-looking science plans and resulted in several follow-up international projects and programs, in particular within the framework of the emerging International Polar Year.

International Arctic Science Committee IASC Medal Awarded in recognition of exceptional and sustained contributions to the understanding of the Arctic since Martin Jakobsson IASC Medal 2011 Patrick Webber IASC Medal 2010 Igor Krupnik IASC Medal 2012

International Arctic Science Committee An international project of the Arctic Council and IASC to evaluate and synthesize knowledge on Arctic climate variability, climate change, and their impacts. ACIA Reports Scientific Report (1000 pages)Scientific Report (1000 pages) Synthesis Report (140 pages)Synthesis Report (140 pages) Policy ReportPolicy Report Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA) Published 2005

International Arctic Science Committee … was an Arctic Council project coordinated by AMAP, IASC and CLIC. … integrated scientific information on the impacts of climate change on the ice, snow, and permafrost characteristics of the Arctic, which have potentially far-reaching implications for both the Arctic and the Earth as a whole. … also considered the social, economic, and cultural implications of these changes for people living in the Arctic. Snow, Water, Ice and Permafrost in the Arctic (SWIPA) Published 2011

International Arctic Science Committee Background ✤ ACIA Key finding # 5 ✤ ICARP II WG 3 ✤ IASC: ACD ✤ IPY: ACCO-Net History IASC/LOICZ/IHDP/IPA/AMAP Workshops Arctic Coastal Zones at Risk in Tromsø October 2007 and January 2008 Release Final Report published May 2011 State of the Arctic Coast 2010

International Arctic Science Committee International Polar Year (IPY) The largest internationally coordinated research program in the Earth´s Polar Regions, co- sponsored by ICSU and WMO, involving  estimated 50,000 participants;  more than 60 nations;  220 projects. IASC was deeply involved in the development and implementation of the IPY:  Ex-office member of the ICSU/WMO Joint Committee;  Organizer (jointly with SCAR) of the first IPY Conference 2008;  Co-organizer of the IPY 2010 and 2012 Conferences;  Co-editor of the IPY Summary Publication. Status Change Global Connections Connections Vantage Point NewFrontiers Human HumanDimension

International Arctic Science Committee The Goal of SAON is to enhance Arctic-wide observing activities by facilitating partnerships and synergies among existing observing and data networks (“building blocks”), and promoting sharing and synthesis of data and information. A partnership between the Arctic Council and IASC Sustaining Arctic Observing Networks (SAON)

International Arctic Science Committee Bipolar Cooperation Letter of Agreement with IASC´s Southern Hemisphere counterpart Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), signed 2006 and renewed 2011, resulted in several successful joint activities during the last years:  SCAR/IASC Open Science Conference St. Petersburg (Russia), 2008;  Joint work on the steering committees for the IPY 2010 and 2012 Conference;  “Polar Research - Global Challenges" Symposium, Siena (Italy), 2011;  Bipolar Action Group;  Ice Sheet Mass Balance and Sea Level Group (ISMASS);  Three successful applications for ICSU Grants;  Joint meetings of the Executive Committees;  Trilateral agreements with APECS, IACS, IPA and WCRP;  Several joint presentations given by the two Executive Directors;  Joint outreach activities, many including APECS.

International Arctic Science Committee The Next Generation of Polar Researchers  Established and run by early career scientists  An outcome of the IPY  IASC supports APECS by providing travel stipends and mentoring APECS members  Co-sponsorship MoU, jointly signed with SCAR in 2008  At the final IPY conference, IASC, SCAR and APECS received the IPY torch (“budstikke”)

International Arctic Science Committee International Polar Initiative (IPI) A new and novel framework for long-term cooperation in the Polar Regions  addressing the emerging challenges identified within the IPY;  optimizing and better coordinating existing resources and facilities;  developing mechanisms for concerted investments in areas where activities are lacking. Steering Group to develop the concept established early 2012

International Arctic Science Committee 25 Years of IASC ( ) IASC´s 25 th anniversary will be celebrated 2015, culminating in a final conference in Japan including  Arctic Science Summit Week 2015;  3 rd International Conference on Arctic Research Planning (ICARP III);  IASC History Publication; and involving  IASC Working Groups;  IASC Partner Organizations.

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International Arctic Science Committee