Arctic Update Header
August 11, 2016
 
Today's C ongressional Action:   
The House and Senate are not in session.

Media   

Arctic Heating Up Twice as Fast as Other Regions: Climate Report. The Arctic - along with the rest of the world - is getting hotter. And that increase in heat is most pronounced in the Arctic, said the "State of the Climate" report, released Aug. 2 by the American Meteorological Society. "Over Arctic landmasses, the rate of warming is more than twice that of low and midlatitude regions," said the report, compiled by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Associations's Center for Weather and Climate, which includes contributions from scientists from around the world and provides an update on global climate indicators. Nunatsiaq Online 

UN's International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples Stresses Education. Today, Aug. 9 the United Nations has declared that the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples will focus this year on the right to education for the world's 370 million Indigenous peoples, which include Inuit from around the circumpolar world. Access to education lags for many Indigenous peoples, the UN said in a release issued prior the international day. Nunatsiaq Online

Arctic's Climate on a Cliff-Edge. The stunning speed of the coastal erosion on Wiese Island in the northern Kara Sea is a graphic example of the impact of warming temperatures in the Siberian Arctic. Ironically, the collapsing building is a disused Soviet meteorological station that now stands on the brink due to changes in the weather.  [The building is] about to collapse into the frozen sea last winter. It may already have done so this summer. Seven years ago it stood some 74 meters from the sea. When it was built in 1945, it was much further away.  Siberian Times

Specialized Life Forms Abound at Arctic Methane Seeps. Cold seeps are places where hydrocarbons, mostly methane, emanate from the sea floor. Unlike the hydrothermal vents, the fluids and bubbles are no hotter than the surrounding seawater, thus the name. But like the hydrothermal vents, cold seeps can support high densities of specialized life forms through a process called chemosynthesis. ScienceCodex
 
USCG Healy Headed to Seward After 1st Mission in West Arctic. Seattle-based Coast Guard Cutter Healy will moor in Seward Wednesday to disembark 46 researchers from the University of Alaska-Anchorage and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration after 39 days completing of the first of three missions working on groundbreaking science in the Arctic Chukchi Sea. Logistics for the port call will include swap out of science teams and equipment. The new researchers are arriving from the  Scripps Institute of Oceanography, U.C. San Diego and the Office of Naval Research. American Security Today
 
Manitoba Pledges $9m for Churchill Observatory. Manitoba plans to spend up to $9 million to support the construction of a new marine observatory in the northern community of Churchill. Education Minister Ian Wishart says the University of Manitoba project will focus on Arctic research. He says the facility will enhance Canada's ability to monitor change in nature and ensure that governments and industry have the information needed to respond to economic development pressures throughout the Arctic. CBC News
 
New Fish Inventory Can Assist in Arctic Policy-Making. A new report by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is providing valuable information in the management of fish populations. The study area includes U.S. marine waters north of the Bering Strait. Reports like this relating to, fish biology, locations and effects of climate change, will help guide future research and Arctic policy-making; and be useful in directing future research needs and informing natural resource managers about high-priority marine fish species. The updated marine fish inventory included 20 newly confirmed species and 104 new descriptions. Your Alaska Link

Legislative Action futureevents   

No Arctic legislation was formally considered yesterday.

Future Events

Hosted by Saint Petersburg State University, the UArctic Congress 2016 will feature Science and Meeting sections, including:
  • Acclaimed keynote speakers and scientific experts presenting research.
  • Parallel sessions on Arctic science, policy, and education topics.
  • Meetings for reps of the Council of UArctic and UArctic Rectors' Forum.
  • Pre-Meetings to foster contacts and enhance networking.
  • Opportunities to promote and market your organization and activities.
  • A UArctic Student Forum with workshops.
  • A Cultural and Social program.
The 2016 UArctic Rectors' Forum and the 19th annual meeting of the Council of UArctic form an integral part of the congress. 

Conference on Water Innovations for Healthy Arctic Homes: September 18-21, 2016, Anchorage, Alaska. This circumpolar conference will bring together engineers, health experts, researchers, community members, policymakers, and innovators to discuss health benefits, challenges and innovations associated with making running water and sewer in remote northern communities safe, affordable and sustainable. Information and an expression of interest in attending can be found here. (The full link is:  http://wihah2016.com/)
 
13th International Conference on Gas in Marine Sediments: September 19-22, 2016 (Tromso, Norway).   GIMS 13  promotes the study of natural gas and release systems on a global scale and  facilitates interdisciplinary and international cooperation. The conference  intends to bring together geologists, biologists, microbiologist, geophysicists, oceanographers, geochemists and scientists from modeling disciplines. The forum will provide a platform for current knowledge and future programs in gas inventories, fluxes and their role within the carbon cycle and biodiversity. Conference is organized by CAGE - Centre for Arctic Gas Hydrate, Environment and Climate at UiT The  Arctic University of Norway. Abstract submission deadline is May 30th and registration deadline is June 20th. For more information:  http://gims13.uit.no
 
Bridging the Future of Arctic Social Science Research, September 23-24, 2016 (Monticello, Virginia, USA). The event is sponsored by Arctic Horizons.  The event will reassemble the members of the National Steering Committee and a small but diverse selection of representatives from the five regional workshops, to total about 15 people. The aim will be to identify and synthesize the core threads of the previous workshops and public contributions proffered between workshops. The target output for the workshop will be a final report draft and outline of steps leading to the final report release in June 2016. The Jefferson Institute will manage production of the publication.
 
Second International Conference on Natural Resources and Integrated Development of Coastal Areas in the Arctic Zone, September 27-29, 2016 (Arkhangelsk, Russia).  The Conference is organized by FASO of Russia, Russian Academy of Sciences, Government of Arkhangelsk region, Arkhangelsk Scientific Center and International Arctic Science Committee (IASC). Conference is aimed at elaboration of research-based practical measures and instruments for realization of human, natural and transport-logistical potential of the Arctic zone, including development of the Northern Sea Route and implementation of models of integrated coastal areas management. For additional information, please email.

Arctic Ambitions V: International Business Conference & Trade Show, October 4-5, 2016 (Anchorage, Alaska, USA). This once-a-year event uniquely focuses on business and investment opportunities flowing from developments in the Arctic. With interest in commercial development in the Arctic growing rapidly, WTC Anchorage initiated the Arctic Ambitions conference five years ago to address issues such as innovation, investment, infrastructure development, transportation, natural resources, and trade. At the event, corporate executives and senior government officials from across the Arctic, and around the world, make presentations and participate in panel discussions. This year's conference also includes a Trade Show and B2B Matchmaking Session. For more information, please contact Greg Wolf ( [email protected]) or call 907-278-7233.

Inuit traditions are a repository of Inuit culture and a primary expression of Inuit identity. The theme for the 2016 Inuit Studies Conference invites Elders, knowledge-bearers, researchers, artists, policy-makers, students and others to engage in conversations about the many ways in which traditions shape understanding, while registering social and cultural change. The institutional hosts of "Inuit Traditions," Memorial University of Newfoundland and the Nunatsiavut Government, invite you to contribute to an exchange of knowledge to be held in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, October 7-10, 2016. Presentations on all aspects of Inuit studies will be welcome.

Arctic Technology Conference, October 24-26, 2016 (St. John's, Canada).  Founded in 1969, the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) is the world's foremost event for the development of offshore resources in the fields of drilling, exploration, production and environmental protection. The Arctic Technology Conference (ATC) is built upon OTC's successful multidisciplinary approach, with 14 technical societies and organizations working together to deliver the world's most comprehensive Arctic event.

Converging Interests: Maritime & Arctic Security & Safety Conference (MASS16), October 27-28, 2016 (Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada). MASS16 will once again focus on the challenges associated with both northern and maritime environments. The aim of the 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 various components of northern development. 
 
The 5th Forum for Arctic Modeling and Observational Synthesis (FAMOS) project School and Meeting, November 1-4, 2016 (Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA).The major goals of the meeting are to discuss results of ongoing FAMOS activities, and to plan 2016-2017 coordinated modeling and observing projects, with a special focus on high and very high spatiotemporal resolution processes. You can register here.

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