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September 3, 2021

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NEW THIS WEEK | 4:00 pm ET on September 3, 2021 | Virtual

An NGO Debrief on US Russia Collaboration on Oil Spill Response

In the last week of August, a delegation of Russian officials from Russia’s Marine Rescue Service met with counterparts from the US Coast Guard to discuss joint approaches to responding to accidents and potential oil spills in the Bering Strait. The World Wildlife Foundation with AOOS will present a preliminary version of an oil spill response tool being populated with data on currents, bathymetry, wildlife, and other features of the coastline. This Zoom-based meeting is to share the outcome of the Russian-US meeting and update participants on lessons learned.

Event Link
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Climate Change: Arctic Warming Linked to Colder Winters

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A new study shows that increases in extreme winter weather in parts of the US are linked to accelerated warming of the Arctic. The scientists found that heating in the region ultimately disturbed the circular pattern of winds known as the polar vortex. This allowed colder winter weather to flow down to the US, notably in the Texas cold wave in February.

BBC News

Study Reveals Extreme Winter Weather is Related to Arctic Change

A new study shows that the frequency of polar vortex disruptions that is most favorable for extreme winter weather in the United States is increasing, and that Arctic change is likely contributing to the increasing trend. Led by Atmospheric and Environmental Research (AER), University Massachusetts Lowell and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the study is published in the September 3 issue of Science.

Phys.org

Sea Ice Outlook: 2021 August Report

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We heartily thank those who contributed to this 2021 August Sea Ice Outlook (SIO) report. This activity thrives only through the dedicated participation of the many forecast contributors. The 2021 August Sea Ice Outlook received 45 submissions (38 in June, 41 in July). These outlook contributions are based on various methods, including dynamical (physics-based) models, statistical approaches, heuristic (qualitative), and machine-learning. Along with projections of total Arctic sea-ice extent for September, the August SIO received nine projections of Antarctic total ice extent (eight in the June SIO and seven in the July SIO) and nine projections of ice extent in the Alaskan sector, which combines the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort seas (seven in the June SIO and eight in the July SIO). Sea-ice probability (SIP) forecasts from ten models and eight first ice-free date (IFD) are included in the August 2021 SIO.

Sea Ice Prediction Network
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9:00 am ADT on September 8, 2021 | Virtual

Meeting 21st Century Maritime Challenges in the U.S. Arctic

Alaska Chadux̂ Network and the North American Marine Environment Protection Association are co-sponsoring a free collaborative virtual seminar that will focus on maritime challenges currently being faced in the U.S. Arctic. The 3-hour informative event will address a series of topics including a keynote address focusing on the role of the U.S. Arctic in national policies; current issues being confronted by stakeholders in the region; and future challenges. This unique event will bring together expert insight from across the maritime sector, arctic specialists, and government officials. Registration is now open.

Event Link

11:00 am ET on September 14, 2021 | Virtual

What Can We Learn from Ignorance? Arctic Energy Frontiers, Environmental Regimes, and Indigenous Rights Movements Since the 1970s

In this talk, Prof. Andrew Stuhl will examine the state of knowledge that Pimlott experienced as a constitutive element of energy frontiers, environmental regimes, and struggles for Indigenous rights in the late twentieth-century Arctic. This event is part of the Arctic Environmental Humanities Workshop Series and is hosted by The Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future at Boston University’s Pardee School of Global Studies and the Scott Polar Research Institute at the University of Cambridge.

Event Link

NEW THIS WEEK | 12:00 pm ET on September 22, 2021 | Virtual

We’re All in the Same Boat: The Arctic

NERACOOS and CIOOS Atlantic, with funding support from the U.S. Embassy in Canada, will host a three-part webinar series featuring discussions with local experts on scientific, economic, and policy issues facing coastal communities spanning the Arctic to the Northeastern seaboard of the United States. Each of the three seminars will coincide with part of the voyage of the US Coast Guard Cutter Healy, which has partnered with Canada to undertake a research cruise the Northwest Passage and circumnavigation of North America. As the Healy passes through the Arctic, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Nova Scotia and the Gulf of Maine, experts in a variety of subjects will speak about the challenges they're encountering, and how we can come up with solutions that transcend borders. 

Event Link

NEW THIS WEEK | 12:00 pm ET on October 6, 2021 | Virtual

We’re All in the Same Boat: Newfoundland & Labrador

NERACOOS and CIOOS Atlantic, with funding support from the U.S. Embassy in Canada, will host a three-part webinar series featuring discussions with local experts on scientific, economic, and policy issues facing coastal communities spanning the Arctic to the Northeastern seaboard of the United States. Each of the three seminars will coincide with part of the voyage of the US Coast Guard Cutter Healy, which has partnered with Canada to undertake a research cruise the Northwest Passage and circumnavigation of North America. As the Healy passes through the Arctic, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Nova Scotia and the Gulf of Maine, experts in a variety of subjects will speak about the challenges they're encountering, and how we can come up with solutions that transcend borders. 


Conversations will include John Farrell, the executive director of the US Arctic Research Commission, and Larry Mayer, a former commissioner with the US Arctic Research Commission.

Event Link

October 14-17, 2021 | Harpa, Reykjavík, Iceland

Arctic Circle Assembly

The annual Arctic Circle Assembly is the largest annual international gathering on the Arctic, attended by more than 2000 participants from 60 countries. It is attended by heads of states and governments, ministers, members of parliaments, officials, experts, scientists, entrepreneurs, business leaders, indigenous representatives, environmentalists, students, activists and others from the growing international community of partners and participants interested in the future of the Arctic.


For the most up-to-date COVID information, please see the the US Embassy in Reykjavik's COVID page: here.

Event Link

NEW THIS WEEK | 12:00 pm ET on October 20, 2021 | Virtual

We’re All in the Same Boat: Nova Scotia & the Gulf of Maine

NERACOOS and CIOOS Atlantic, with funding support from the U.S. Embassy in Canada, will host a three-part webinar series featuring discussions with local experts on scientific, economic, and policy issues facing coastal communities spanning the Arctic to the Northeastern seaboard of the United States. Each of the three seminars will coincide with part of the voyage of the US Coast Guard Cutter Healy, which has partnered with Canada to undertake a research cruise the Northwest Passage and circumnavigation of North America. As the Healy passes through the Arctic, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Nova Scotia and the Gulf of Maine, experts in a variety of subjects will speak about the challenges they're encountering, and how we can come up with solutions that transcend borders. 

Event Link
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OCTOBER 24–29, 2021 | BOULDER, COLORADO, USA

2021 Regional Conference on Permafrost/19th International Conference Cold Regions Engineering

For the first time, a Regional Conference on Permafrost will be combined with the bi-annual 19th International Conference on Cold Regions Engineering. This conference is hosted by the US Permafrost Association, the American Society of Civil Engineers, the International Permafrost Association, the Permafrost Young Researchers Network, and the University of Colorado Boulder. A complete list of planned sessions is available here.

Event Link

November 2-4, 2021 | Virtual

The Maritime Risk Symposium

The Maritime Risk Symposium is an annual three-day conference in which government and maritime industry leaders, port representatives, researchers, and solution providers convene to examine current and emerging threats to maritime security. Government agencies, commercial entities, institutions of research, and higher education come together to discuss various threats, challenges, and risks to international and domestic maritime sectors.

Event Link

November 10-11, 2021 | Brussels, Belgium

EU Arctic Forum and Indigenous Peoples’ Dialogue

The European Commission and the European External Action Service will organize a high-level EU Arctic Forum and the Annual Arctic Indigenous Peoples’ Dialogue. The EU Arctic Forum will bring together key Arctic players and stakeholders to assess recent developments in the region and discuss challenges ahead. The event will provide a strategic outlook for the updated EU Arctic policy and delve into topics that are of particular significance for the Arctic’s inhabitants.

Event Link

November 17, 2021 | Portland, Maine USA

New England Arctic Network 2021 Meeting

The New England Arctic Network (NEAN) will host its 2021 meeting at the University of New England in Portland, Maine. Additional information will be published soon. 

Event Link

November 30- December 3, 2021 | Anchorage, Alaska USA

Reducing Arctic Risks and Advancing Cooperation, Alaskan Command Arctic Symposium 2021

Arctic Symposium 2021 continues momentum in Arctic defense and security collaboration established in prior ALCOM-hosted events. AAS21 seeks to address the challenges faced by the U.S. military and our allies and partners in understanding and responding to our respective national interests. AAS21 is planned and organized by the Arctic Domain Awareness Center at the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) in support and in compliance to guidance from Alaskan Command (ALCOM) Staff and Commander. More information available soon.

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December 6-10, 2021 | Virtual

A Blue Arctic Ocean: U.S. Arctic Research and Marine Infrastructure Needs

Hosted entirely online the ArcticNet Virtual Annual Scientific Meeting 2021 (ASM2021) is a hub for Arctic research in Canada. The ASM2021 brings together researchers from the natural, health, and social sciences to meet the challenges and opportunities of a rapidly changing Arctic region, shaped by climate change and modernization. This conference will push the boundaries of our collective understanding of the Arctic and strengthen our ability to address the Arctic issues of today and tomorrow.

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December 13-17, 2021 | New Orleans, LA USA & virtual

A Blue Arctic Ocean: U.S. Arctic Research and Marine Infrastructure Needs

The National Academies’ Polar Research Board is convening the following session at the Fall AGU meeting.

Event Link

MAY 9-12, 2022 | HANKO, FINLAND

2nd Symposium on Polar Microbes and Viruses

Organizers announce, that due to the coronavirus outbreak, the 2nd Symposium on Polar Microbes and Viruses has been postponed to 2022. This symposium will bring together molecular microbial ecologists specializing in different organism groups to share our latest results and discuss methodological problems, as well as future prospects in the field, including practical international collaborations. The environmental focus will be on cryospheric environments including sea ice, glaciers, ice sheets, and permafrost, but excellent research in other polar environments is also invited. The methods to be discussed will focus on 'omics' techniques, ranging from single cells to metagenomes, but research using additional methods is encouraged as well.

Event Link
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