wp.arcticportal.org

Category: News & Press Releases

The International Polar Year

The International Polar Year is a large scientific programme focused on the Arctic and the Antarctic. The program officially ran from March 2007 to March 2009 but was closed in September 2011. IPY was organized through the International Council for Science (ICSU) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). It was actually the fourth polar year, following those in 1882-3, 1932-3, and 1957-8.

IPY involved over 200 projects from around the world on Arctic and Antarctic issues. Thousands of scientists from over 60 nations examined a wide range of physical, biological and social research topics. It was also an unprecedented opportunity to demonstrate, follow, and get involved with, cutting edge science in real-time.

Arctic Portal is a good example of a project which started out as an IPY project.

November 25, 2008
Understanding Migration in the Circumpolar North, Social Science Forum at the University of Akureyri

In the Social Science Forum at the University of Akureyri, Professor Lee Huskey will discuss research being done around the circumpolar north and draws general lessons from the different experiences of northern migration in the Arctic nations. Similarities and interesting differences among patterns and determinants of migration will be discussed. The lecture is held by the University of Akureyri and the Stefanson Arctic Institute.

Migration is a major influence on the size and demographic structure of the population in Arctic regions. The patterns of migration differ significantly across countries and between indigenous and non-indigenous people. Migration patterns also differ across demographic groups in the North; rates of migration differ by gender, age, and education level. Migration involves long-term social and cultural consequences for communities in the north as well as for the migrants themselves.

Material necessity is a major determinant of population movement, so the creation or loss of income earning opportunities in the north will affect migration decisions. Migration decisions will also reflect more general estimates of the quality of life offered by different communities. The pursuit of jobs, education, family, and bright lights will each influence migration in the north.

Public policy will also affect migration. While migration in most Arctic nations is a decision made by households or individuals, in some past periods migration decisions have been a matter of public policy. Public choices about transfer payments and the provision of services and infrastructure influence migration decisions today.

Lee Huskey is a Professor of Economics at the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA). He holds a Ph.D. in economics from Washington University in St. Louis. At the UAA Lee has served as Chairman of the Department of Economics, Director of the Center for Economic Education, and Director of the Experimental Economics program. He was elected President of the Western Regional Science Association in 2005. He has been active in a number of northern pursuits including the Arctic Social Indicators project, the University of the Arctic, and the Northern Research Forum.

Lee’s current research examines the patterns and determinants of rural-urban migration in Alaska. He is currently the principal investigator for two projects on northern migration funded by the US National Research Foundation and the European Science Foundation which involve social scientists from a number of countries and disciplines. More generally his research has examined economic development in rural regions and particularly the influence of institutions on this development. For further information, see http://exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.cbpp.uaa.alaska.edu/aflh.asp

November 4, 2008
Various IPY Projects

International Polar Year projects summary.

Arctic HYDRA

The Arctic System and its hydrology play a central role in regulating Earth´s climate and the impacts of a warming Arctic are already raising serious concerns about the stability of the sensitive balance between climate conditions, freshwater input, oceanic circulation and the state of cryospheric components. The Arctic-HYDRA project consists of a core network for the observation of the Arctic Hydrological Cycle.
Arctic Hydra Project Website

Arctic Observing

The purpose of the Sustained Arctic Observing Network (SAON) is to develop a set of recommendations on how to achieve long-term Arctic-wide observing activities that provide free, open and timely access to high quality data (obtained at the Earth’s surface and from space) that will realise pan-Arctic and global value-added services and provide societal. The SAON promotes coordination, collaboration and communication to develop the recommendations and achieve a lasting legacy of International Polar Year 2007-2009.
SAON Website

AMSA

The Arctic Marine Shipping Assessment (AMSA) is circumpolar in focus and promotes cooperation and collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders and relevant organizations. It recognizes the importance of contributions from the broader maritime community. The assessment should cover all ship based activities and ship types in the Arctic. Also the assessment should cover the geographical area which is defined by the member states.

AMSA Website

APECS

The Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS) is an international and interdisciplinary organization for undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, early faculty members, educators and others with interests in Polar Regions and the wider cryosphere. Their aims are to stimulate interdisciplinary and international research collaborations, and develop effective future leaders in polar research, education and outreach.
APECS Website

CBMP

The purpose of the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program (CBMP) is to strive for the conservation of biological diversity in the Arctic, to halt or significantly reduce the loss of this biodiversity, and to provide information to the indigenous peoples of the Arctic, other Arctic residents, and stakeholders inside and outside the region on the sustainable use of the region’s living resources.
CBMP Website

Kuuvik River Expedition

The main objective of the International Polar Year 2007 Kuuvik River Expedition was to canoe the Kuuvik River in northern Quebec, traversing a remote Arctic territory between Hudson Bay and Ungava Bay, as an expedition of four paddlers using two wood-canvas heritage canoes, along a classic Canadian Crown geographical exploration route that was mapped in 1896 by the geoscientist A.P. Low. The International Polar Year themes addressed by the project included: “the current state of the polar environment”, “change in the polar regions”, and “the polar regions as vantage points”.

More International Polar Year Projects at the IPY Project Database.

September 8, 2008