Arctic Update Header
October 30, 2017

** New this week **  North Slope Science Initiative Science Technical Advisory Panel, Nomination Period Open October 25 - November 24, 2017  (Anchorage, Alaska USA). Nominations and applications currently are being accepted for new members to fill six vacant positions on the Science Technical Advisory Panel (STAP) for the North Slope Science Initiative (NSSI). The STAP is a federal advisory committee chartered to advise the NSSI Oversight Group on scientific matters including proposed inventory, monitoring, and research activities necessary for addressing the impacts of past, ongoing, and anticipated development activities on Alaska's North Slope and its associated marine environment. The Oversight Group is composed of senior representatives of federal, state, and local government entities that have management and regulatory responsibilities for development activities on the North Slope. More information on the North Slope Science Initiative is available  here .
Media

US Still Pursing Climate Issues as Arctic Council Member. The Arctic Council continues to rank climate change as one of its top priorities and is sponsoring a side event on the issue in November at the next round of U.N. climate talks in Bonn, Germany, according to Finnish Ambassador Aleksi Härkönen. Härkönen said yesterday that the U.S. has not reduced its Arctic Council delegation under the Trump administration, which has expressed skepticism about the severity of rising temperatures. His comments came at the first Senior Arctic Officials meeting since Finland became chairman of the council. E&E News
 
Crews Complete Northern Alaska Fiber-Optic Project. Installation is finished on the Alaska portion of an Arctic undersea fiber-optic cable project that will deliver high-speed broadband service to the northern part of the state. The project by Anchorage-based company Quintillion is scheduled to provide service starting in December. Quintillion said on Tuesday that crews have installed the last segment of cable under the ocean floor for the Alaska section, which is the first phase of a larger project. The company also plans to eventually extend the cable from Nome to Asia and from Prudhoe Bay to Canada and the United Kingdom. Government Technology
 
Arctic Oil Tankers Threaten Walrus. In summertime, up to 2,000 animals assemble on the coasts of Matveev Island in the Pechora Sea. They constitute one of the biggest populations of walrus in the whole Arctic. But the big animals might not forever feel comfortable on the Russian Arctic island. Nearby is Russia's only offshore Arctic oil field, the Prirazlomnaya, and shipping to and from the platform is extensive. Environmentalists from WWF now warn that the walrus is seriously affected by the nearby oil activities. Barents Observer
 
Arctic Council Meets in Finland, Addresses Pollution and Education. Representatives of the eight Arctic States and six indigenous Permanent Participant organizations, as well as the Arctic Council's six Working Groups and more than thirty Observers, met in Oulu, Finland on 25-26 October 2017. According to the Arctic Council's website, this is the first Senior Arctic Officials' meeting during the Chairmanship of Finland (2017-2019), as well as the first following the 10th Arctic Council Ministerial meeting, which took place in Fairbanks, Alaska in May 2017. PortNews
 
russia/norway flags Russian and Norway Prime Ministers Discuss Cooperation in Arctic Region. The heads of governments noted the importance of strengthening of practical cooperation in the Arctic region and underscored the mutual interest in the development of the Russian-Norwegian relations," the statement said. The phone talk took place in connection with the missing Russian helicopter Mi-8, the wreckage of which was found on Sunday in the waters near the settlement of Barentsburg, the second-largest settlement on Svalbard archipelago. Sputnik News
 
LOOKING NORTH: Arctic Tourism Provides Insight into Inuit Culture. One travel company is aiming to offer more than just an awe-inspiring vacation or trip to the Arctic region. Adventure Canada says its expeditions are learning opportunities that provide glimpses into Inuit culture, history and day-to-day present life, among other experiences. "We've really made it our family's business to promote culture, meaningful experiences and connection to the land in all the regions we visit," said CEO Cedar Swan, who took over the Ontario-based business her father started in 1987. CBC News
 
New Drone Will Help San Diego Zoo Study Polar Bears in Arctic. San Diego Zoo Global researchers will use a custom drone next month to monitor the impact of changing sea ice patterns on polar bears in the Canadian Arctic, zoo officials announced Thursday. The six-rotor hexacopter platform manufactured by Northrop Grumman will give scientists a closer look at the bears in their habitat than before and help them collect important data. Previous studies depended on satellite imagery. "There are few studies of polar bears based on direct observation," said Nicholas Pilfold, a population sustainability scientist at the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research. CBS 8 San Diego
 
redoubt volcano Volcanic Eruptions May Be Rapidly Melting Arctic Ice Sheets, Study Says. As warming temperatures continue to threaten Arctic sea ice, a recent study suggests that volcano eruptions are also playing a role in depleting the frozen sheets. A team of researchers from Columbia University has found that volcanic eruptions have likely been accelerating the rate at which Arctic sheets melt. The discovery was made after they studied deposits of meltwater and ice cores that indicated ancient explosions had triggered instant and significant melting of an ice sheet that covered much of northern Europe at the end of the last ice age, roughly 12,000 to 13,000 years ago, according to a release on the study. The Weather Channel
 
Russia to Build LNG Transshipment Terminal for Arctic Traffic. Russia's Novatek has signed an agreement with the Kamchatka Territorial Government to build an LNG sea terminal facility at Kamchatka for reloading LNG from Arctic ice-class tankers to conventional LNG tankers. The terminal is anticipated to have a capacity of 20 million tons per annum (MTPA) and will be completed by 2023. The company says it will optimize the logistics of LNG supplies from the Arctic region, stimulate use of the Northern Sea Route and create a new LNG supply hub for Asian-Pacific regional consumers.  The Maritime Executive
Future Events


Maritime & Arctic Security & Safety Conference (MASS17) "Arctic Horizons," October 31- November 1, 2017 (Newfoundland & Labrador Canada).  Now in its fifth year, MASS has gained an international reputation as a must-attend event to gain a wide perspective on challenges, opportunities and policies related to the Arctic and North Atlantic maritime environments.  The aim of this Government of Canada and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador supported international conference is to promote stakeholder collaboration, technological innovation, harsh environment research & development, and world-class education efforts that are contributing to both Maritime and Arctic issues.   This two day conference will draw a diverse group of speakers and attendees representing government, military, Canadian and U.S. Coast Guard, industry, academic leaders, Northern Leaders, research and other key stakeholders. We hope you can join us to be a part of this important dialogue

Updates from the US Representatives to the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC), November 1, 2017 (Webinar). This event is part of The Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC) Collaborations Webinar Series. The International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) is a non-governmental, international scientific organization whose mission is to facilitate international cooperation in all aspects of Arctic research. Each IASC member country appoints up to two national delegates for each of the five Working Groups, which are the Atmosphere, Cryosphere, Marine, Social and Human, and Terrestrial Working Groups. IARPC invites the Arctic research community to join this webinar to learn about IASC's recent activities and how to engage with their representatives through the forum provided on IARPC Collaborations.

Polar Law Symposium 2017 and Rovaniemi Arctic Spirit, November 13-16, 2017 (Rovaniemi, Finland). The purpose of the Polar Law Symposium is to examine, in detail, the implications of the challenges faced by the Polar Regions for international law and policy and to make recommendations on appropriate actions by states, policy makers and other international actors to respond to these emerging and re-emerging challenges. The Rovaniemi Arctic Spirit  Conference is integrated with the Polar Law Symposium, which will be organized by the Northern Institute for Environmental and Minority Law at the Arctic Center of the University of Lapland.

Arctic Research Seminar with Courtney Carothers and Laura Zanotti: In a Climate of Change: Co-producing Knowledge and Community Researcher Relationships in the Leadership and Strength Project in Utqiagvik, Alaska, November 30, 2017 (Washington, DC  USA). Courtney Carothers is an associate professor of fisheries in the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. She is an environmental anthropologist currently researching how fishery systems are being remade by enclosure and privatization processes and the total environment of change facing Arctic Indigenous communities. Her work explores human-environment relationships, cultural values, equity, and well-being. She has co-edited two books and published over 30 articles and book chapters on these topics. She currently serves on a number of boards and working groups, including: the SEARCH (Study of Environmental Arctic Change) Science Steering Committee, the North Pacific Research Board Science Panel, the Alaska Sustainable Salmon Fund Expert Panel, the State of Alaska's Salmon and People. This event is part of the ARCUS DC Arctic Research Seminar Series.

AGU Fall Meeting, December 11-15, 2017 (New Orleans, LA USA). Fall Meeting is the largest and preeminent Earth and space science meeting in the world. The 2017 Fall Meeting will take place in New Orleans, Louisiana, offering attendees the chance to discover a new location that features world renowned cuisine, music, arts and culture, and provides access to vital scientific ecosystems. Fall Meeting will offer a unique mix of more than 20,000 oral and poster presentations, a broad range of keynote lectures, various types of formal and informal networking and career advancement opportunities, scientific field trips around New Orleans, and an exhibit hall packed with hundreds of exhibitors.

ArcticNet invites the global Arctic research community to Arctic Change 2017! This conference will bring together Arctic researchers and students with Inuit, Northerners and government, industry and NGO stakeholders. The world's foremost Arctic scientists will presen t research  findings and discuss impacts of climate change and modernization. With over 1500 participants expected, Arctic Change 2017 will be one of the largest trans-sectoral international Arctic research conferences held in Canada. We welcome students and early career researchers to participate in "Student Day" at the start of the Conference. See an excerpt from last year:  ArcticNet ASM2016 .
 
ISAR-5 Fifth International Symposium on Arctic Research, January 15-18, 2018 (Tokyo, Japan). The fifth ISAR has been planned at the recommendation of the science steering committee of ISAR-4, which was held in Toyama, Japan in April 2015. The fifth ISAR will be devoted to discussions on environmental changes in the Arctic and their regional and global implications, to seek additional international scientific collaboration in this area by gathering, synthesizing and sharing information related to these changes occurring in the Arctic. Special emphasis will be placed on the fields of the social sciences and humanities, which were not included in the previous ISARs.  ISAR-5 will consist of general sessions and special sessions. The general sessions will address the following topics: atmosphere; ocean and sea ice; rivers, lakes, permafrost, and snow cover; ice sheets, glaciers, and ice cores; terrestrial ecosystems; marine ecosystems; geospace; policies and economy; and social and cultural dimensions. Special sessions will be solicited on cross-cutting themes.
 
2018 Arctic Frontiers: Connecting the Arctic, January 21-26, 2018 (Tromso, Norway). Arctic Frontiers is an international arena on sustainable development in the Arctic. The conference addresses the management of opportunities and challenges to achieve viable economic growth with societal and environmental sustainability. Arctic Frontiers brings academia, government and business together to create a firmer foundation for decision-making and sustainable economic development in the Arctic. Join the Arctic Frontiers conference preparing the new Arctic future. The conference takes place the fourth week of January in the Norwegian city of Tromsø, known as the Gateway to the Arctic.
 
Alaska Marine Science Symposium, January 22-26, 2018 (Anchorage, Alaska.)
The Alaska Marine Science Symposium (AMSS) is Alaska's premier marine research conference. For over 20 years, it has brought together scientists, educators, resource managers, students, and the public to discuss marine research conducted in Alaskan waters. Over 700 people attend this 4-day long conference held annually in January.  Each day of the conference highlights Alaskan marine ecosystems: Arctic (Tuesday), Bering Sea & Aleutian Islands (Wednesday), and the Gulf of Alaska (Thursday). Research topics discussed range from ocean physics, fishes and invertebrates, seabirds, marine mammals, to local traditional knowledge.  Website for 2018 meeting is here .
 
Alaska Forum on the Environment, February 12-16, 2018 (Anchorage, Alaska) AFE is a statewide gathering of environmental professionals from government agencies, non-profit and for-profit businesses, community leaders, Alaskan youth, conservationists, biologists and community elders. The diversity of attendees sets this conference apart from any other. The 2018 event will be our 20th year providing a strong educational foundation for all Alaskans and a unique opportunity to interact with others on environmental issues and challenges.

The Effects of Climate Change on the World's Oceans, June 4-8, 2018 (Washington, DC USA). 
The 4th International Symposium will bring together experts from around the world to better understand climate impacts on ocean ecosystems - and how to respond. The event is hosted by a variety of groups including International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), North Pacific Marine Science Organization (PICES), Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC), and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
 
POLAR 2018, June 15-27, 2018 (Davos, Switzerland). POLAR2018 is a joint event from the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) and the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC). The SCAR meetings, the ASSW and the Open Science Conference will be hosted by the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL under the patronage of the Swiss Committee on Polar and High Altitude Research. The WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF is organizing POLAR2018.
 
17th International Congress of Circumpolar Health (ICCH17), August 12-15, 2018 (Copenhagen, Denmark). The ICCH congresses are held every third year in different locations in the circumpolar area and represent the largest scientific meetings worldwide on circumpolar health. The ICCH congresses serve as the primary source of information exchange and scholarly communication in issues relating to circumpolar health. More than 750 participants generally register and participate in each Congress, and more than 400 scientific papers or posters are usually presented.

Arctic Biodiversity Congress, October 9-11, 2018 (Rovaniemi, Finland). The second Arctic Biodiversity Congress is hosted by the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF), the biodiversity working group of the Arctic Council, and the Ministry of the Environment, Finland. The second Arctic Biodiversity Congress will build on the success of the first Congress, held in 2014 in Trondheim, Norway, and will bring together scientists, policymakers government officials, Indigenous representatives, Traditional Knowledge holders, industry, non-governmental organizations, and others to promote the conservation and sustainable use of Arctic biodiversity. 

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