Newsletter EU-PolarNet 1
December 2019
EU-PolarNet is in its last year
We are preparing our last major deliverables as e.g. the Integrated European Polar Research Programme or the White paper on European polar infrastructure access and interoperability! We are looking forward to many interesting conferences and events coming up in the next months, hoping that they will give us the opportunity to meet you in person soon. We would like to inform you that we have faced staff changes in the EU-PolarNet management team. Kristina Baer left EU-PolarNet for an exciting positon at the Arctic Circle Secretariat and David Velazquez joined the EU-PolarNet team as new communication officer. We would like to thank Kristina very much for her outstanding contribution to the development of this project!!
European Polar Research Programme
The main objective of EU-PolarNet is to co-design an Integrated European Polar Research Programme jointly with polar stakeholders. Therefore, we decided to base the Integrated European Polar Research Programme on stakeholder needs and have collected input from many Polar stakeholders on their research requests over the last 4 years. After a long structuring and prioritisation process, we have summarised the societal needs into six overarching chapters, which we call Research Needs, and have identified writing teams including experts from all over Europe. Over the summer, all the teams will translate the needs from the stakeholders into scientific questions which will be integrated in the European Polar Research Programme.
The European Polar Infrastructure Catalogue is now available!
EU-PolarNet and EPB teamed up to compile information on all polar facilities operated by European organisations in a single document. COMNAP, INTERACT and EUROFLEETS supported this project with their data.
The catalogue includes a complete database of European polar stations, camps, laboratories, research vessels and aircrafts. To download the catalogue, click here, you can view the online European Polar Infrastructure Database here.
Lisbon Polar Week
During the last week of March, the University of Lisbon hosted a full week of polar meetings. The week started with the public Polar Symposium: Polar science and Europe: new challenges and opportunities. Then, EU-PolarNet, the Arctic Research Icebreaker Consortium (ARICE), and the European Polar Board (EPB) held the general assemblies / plenary meeting at IGOT.
Polar Symposium: “Polar science and Europe: new challenges and opportunities”
The University of Lisbon, EU-PolarNet and the Portuguese Polar Program (PROPOLAR) teamed up together to organize a public symposium.
During the symposium, experts from Germany, Portugal and Spain discussed the European strategy for Polar Research, the developments of national Polar activities over the last ten years and perspectives for the future as well as challenges and opportunities offered by Polar sciences.
5th EU-PolarNet General Assembly
The Polar Symposium was followed by the 5th and last EU-PolarNet General Assembly which gathered 50 colleagues from all over Europe. The participants discussed the advances made in EU-PolarNet up to now and the actions ahead. One of our most inspiring challenges ahead is to design an Integrated European Polar Research Programme co-designed with all relevant stakeholders.In addition, we also have to develop white papers on infrastructure access and interoperability, on data management and on meaningful stakeholders engagement in Polar Regions.
EU-PolarNet / EPB side event at ATCM: “Connecting European Polar Research with Antarctic Policymakers”
Date: 1. July 2019
Time: 12:30 – 14:00
Location: Top Hotel Prague
EU-PolarNet and the EPB organised a side event at the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM) to stimulate discussions with ATCM delegates to identify societal relevant research needs in the Antarctic as an important contribution for national and international programmes. This effort is expected to be useful as a roadmap for the international management of the Antarctic continent at policy and operational levels. The societal relevant research needs will be included in the European Integrated European Polar Research Programme, which EU-PolarNet is currently developing. More than 50 delegates from 30 different countries or international organizations attended the successful event.
News from the EU Arctic Cluster
The EU Arctic Cluster met in Brussels
The EU Arctic Cluster has decided to become Polar by bringing together the insights from various areas of expertise in both Polar Regions. The Cluster will provide one entry point to the EU-funded Polar research.
The name of the Cluster changed into EU Polar Cluster
Get more information here.
New EU Arctic Cluster member
Arctic and North Atlantic Security and Emergency Preparedness Network
The ARCSAR network will address the Arctic and North-Atlantic (ANA) region, preparing to cope with the security and safety threats that will result from increased commercial activity in the region including traffic through the Northern passages, cruise traffic, and offshore oil and gas activity.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme. Find more information about the EU Polar Cluster projects here.
Upcoming Event
Arctic Circle 2019 Assembly
10-13 October 2019
Reykjavík, Iceland
A proposal for a session called “Connecting Arctic Science with Society: Lessons learnt and next steps” organised by EU-PolarNet, Nunataryuk and APPLICATE has been submitted. In addition, the EU Polar Cluster project ARICE has submitted a proposal for a session called “Breaking the ice: industry and science cooperation for safe and sustainable Arctic Operations”.
We are also welcoming you to a shared booth with the European Commission H2020 Programme and the EU Polar Cluster.