Newsletter EU-PolarNet 1
October 2020
An end: EU-PolarNet - Connecting science with society
EU-PolarNet 1 came to its end in June 2020 after five exciting and very productive years. Among others, our consortium has developed a set of five white papers on high priority Polar research questions, a white paper on European polar data accessibility, a white paper on status of stakeholder engagement in polar research, a white paper on European Polar research infrastructures and the European Polar Research Programme, which will be published soon in our media outlets. We have supported the European Commission in many fields related to the Polar Regions and helped them to identify topics for polar calls in H2020. Many of you have contributed to these actions and we want to thank you very much for your interest and support.
A beginning: EU-PolarNet 2 - Coordinating and co-designing the European Polar Research Area
EU-PolarNet 2 starts its work today with an enlarged consortium gathering all major European Polar institutions. The ambition of EU-PolarNet 2 is to establish a sustainable and inclusive platform to co-develop and advance European Polar research and to give evidence-based advice to policymaking processes. The project will operate as this platform during the next four years and it will endeavour to sustain the platform in a European Polar Coordination Office (EPCO) after EU-PolarNet 2 ends as a key building block to establish a European Polar Research Area.
EU-PolarNet 2 will perform an intense polar research prioritisation process in the next years by involving all those (stake- and right holders, researchers, etc.) who are interested to contribute. We even have seed money available to support research groups who have interesting ideas. The first call for these services will be launched soon.
We will work much closer with funding agencies in EU-PolarNet 2 and will transfer the outcomes of the research prioritisation process to decision and policy makers on a European and a national level. We hope that we can again influence future funding calls with our research prioritisation work.
Some of you have contributed to these efforts already in EU-PolarNet 1 and we strongly hope that you will also be interested in getting involved in the future.
EU-PolarNet was one of the initiators of the EU Polar Cluster and has been coordinating its activities since the beginning. EU-PolarNet 2 will continue to coordinate joint Cluster activities and it will support the identification of synergistic activities among member projects.
New Deliverables
The European Polar Research Programme
The European Polar Research Programme is the outcome of a five-year process of co-designing and co-developing a future research agenda for Europe. The content of the European Polar Research Programme is organised in six main chapters dealing with overarching, cross-cutting research issues which should lead to major advances in the understanding of the Polar Regions. In total, the chapters highlight a number of research issues ranging from improved characterisation and understanding of the physical, environmental, societal, cultural and economic conditions, and the current changes and evolutions in the Polar Regions. Solving these research issues should lead to better defining, predicting and projecting future conditions and thus supporting adaptation and resilience to the changes in the Polar Regions.
White Paper on European Polar Infrastructure Access and Interoperability
European nations operate world-class research infrastructures in the Arctic and Antarctic, which result from a long history of polar research and significant investments made by national polar programmes. These infrastructures are of extreme scientific value, some of them are either strategically located or their mobile capabilities provide them with unique capacities. European infrastructures are based over a large geographical breadth, providing a critical network and a valuable asset for the European Research Area.
This white paper builds upon EU-PolarNet’s experience in bridging scientific and societal needs. It is the infrastructure and logistics response to the research needs addressed in the European Polar Research Programme and shall pave the way for stronger and interconnected European actions at the poles and for a common European voice in Polar organisations and fora.
Upcoming Event:
2020 European Polar Science Week
EU-PolarNet 2 will organise its virtual kick-off meeting together with the EU Polar Cluster Annual Meeting 2020 on 26-27th October 2020, both within the upcoming 2020 European Polar Science Week. Visit the conference website to find out the registration details and daily agendas.