Arctic Update Header
September 18, 2015
   
Today's C ongressional Action:     
The House is in session and not expected to consider non-Arctic legislation. The Senate is not in session.

Media  
 
Inuit Study Adds Twist to Omega-3 Fatty Acids' Health Story. As the Inuit people spread across the Arctic, they developed one of the most extreme diets on Earth. They didn't farm fruits, vegetables or grains. There weren't many wild plants to forage, aside from the occasional patch of berries on the tundra. For the most part, the Inuit ate what they could hunt, and they mostly hunted at sea, catching whales, seals and fish. Western scientists have long been fascinated by their distinctly un-Western diet. Despite eating so much fatty meat and fish, the Inuit didn't have a lot of heart attacks. New York Times
 
Caribou Hunting and Science. Alaska's immense herds of caribou are one of the natural wonders of the world. Imagine seeing and hearing tens of thousands of animals migrating across the tundra. This edition of Outdoor Explorer is about these magnificent animals. We'll learn about the science and ecology of the herds, viewing them, and hunting. Caribou are a critical part of northern ecosystems, and an important source of meat for rural Alaskans and urban hunters. Alaska Public Radio
 
Holdren Alaska Scientists Brief White House Science Advisor. Last week the president visited Alaska, and so did the White House science advisor, Dr. John Holdren. Holdren painted a sobering picture of climate change in the north during his speech at the State Department's GLACIER conference in Anchorage. But before GLACIER got underway, Holdren had a briefing with a handful of Alaska scientists. Two of them join us on Alaska Edition this week. Alaska Public Radio
 
Studying Arctic Ecosystems Helps Researchers Predict Climate Changes. Each geological period is marked by specific temperature and abiotic conditions. Using geological dating and analyzing relevant biota helps researchers to reconstruct geological portraits of the respective periods. Arctic is the best place for such research - permafrost zones have not yet been subjected to anthropogenic destruction. That's why fossils have much better chances to be preserved there. Dr. Frolova adds, "Arctic is very attractive to scientits because there is a significant lack of information about it. The Siberian Arctic is virtually untouched by our peers". EurekAlert

Video from yesterday's event at CSIS: "Arctic Transformation: Understanding Arctic Research and the Vital Role of Science." Roll tape.... See here.  

Legislative Actionfutureevents  

 

No Arctic legislation was formally considered yesterday.

 

Future Events

Eighth Polar Law Symposium Alaska 2015, September 23-26, 2015 (Fairbanks and Anchorage, Alaska , USA).  The Eighth Polar Law Symposium is co-hosted by  A laska Pacific University (APU), the University of Alaska Fairbanks , the University of Alaska Anchorage (through its Justice Center and its Institute of Social and Economic Research ), the University of Washington School of Law , and Vermont Law School , in cooperation with the  Arctic Law Section  of the  Alaska Bar Association . The symposium will be held on both campuses of the University of Alaska. The 2015 theme is:  The Science, Scholarship, and Practice of Polar Law: Strengthening Arctic Peoples and Places.

2015 Arctic Energy Summit, September 28-30, 2015 (Fairbanks, Alaska, USA). The Institute of the North's 2015 Arctic Energy Summit builds on our legacy efforts to address energy as a fundamental element of the sustainable development of the Arctic as a lasting frontier.Central to this concept is a focus on providing pathways for affordable energy development in the Arctic and for Arctic communities.
 
The Arctic Circle is the largest global gathering on the Arctic. It is attended by heads of state and governments, ministers, members of parliament, 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. The Arctic Circle highlights issues and concerns, programs, policies and projects; it provides platforms for dynamic dialogue and constructive cooperation. While the plenary sessions are the responsibility of the Arctic Circle, the breakout sessions are organized by various participating partners in their own name and with full authority over the agenda and the choice of speakers.
 
2015 Arctic Science Conference, October 1-3, 2015 (Anchorage, Alaska, USA). The conference theme is "Healthy Estuaries: Sustainability and Resilience." Conference topics include traditional scientific disciplines, science education, arctic social sciences, biomedical research, and artistic interpretation of the evolving North.  Abstract submissions are now being accepted. The deadline is August 1, 2015.
 
The Polar Oceans and Global Climate Change, November 3-6, 2015  (La Jolla, California USA).  The American Polar Society will host this Symposium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. A flyer with a partial list of presenters is available on the Society's website ( americanpolar.org ) and from the Society's Membership Chairman by email.

Forum for Arctic Modeling and Observational Synthesis Meeting, November 3-6, 2015 (Cape Cod, MA, USA). On November 3rd, the 2015 School for young scientists will consider "Regional Oceanography of the Arctic marginal seas" with lectures covering major features of atmospheric, sea ice and oceanographic regimes of the: Bering, Chukchi, Beaufort, East-Siberian, Laptev Sea, Kara, Barents and Nordic seas.  On November 4-6, the meeting portion will summarize project accomplishments for the last 3 years of activities and will focus on the formulation of scientific questions and directions for FAMOS future research (2016-2019) to: (a) improve Arctic modeling, employing very high resolution models; (b) develop and test new arctic monitoring/observing systems and (c) improve predictions of Arctic environmental parameters with reduced uncertainties.

Due North: Next Generation Arctic Research & Leadership, November 5-8, 2015 (Calgary, Alberta, Canada).  The Association of Canadian Universities for Northern Studies (ACUNS) will convene an interdisciplinary conference of early career scientists working on Arctic issues. Topics will include:  Arctic Communities, Arctic Sustainable Development, Arctic Wildlife, Ecosystem and Biodiversity, Arctic Food Security, Arctic Landscapes, Climate Change and Adaptation, Disaster Risk Management, Policy, Politics and Leadership, Arctic Environment (Data and Techniques), Arctic Resources, and Future of Arctic.

2015 Fall Meeting of the Marine Board of the National Academies, November 12-13, 2015 (Washington, D.C.). The Transportation Research Board of the National Academies will host its Fall 2015 Marine Board meeting in Washington, D.C. The main topics of focus for this meeting are "Responding to Emergencies in the Arctic 2015" and "Human and Intellectual Capital in Marine Transportation."
 
Arctic Observing Open Science Meeting, November 17-19, 2015 (Seattle, Washington). The Arctic Observing Open Science Meeting will be 2.5 days and held at the Hyatt at Olive 8 in Seattle, Washington. The conference will bring together individuals and teams involved in the collection, processing, analysis, and use of observations in the Arctic - from academia, agencies, industry, and other organizations. The meeting will be convened as a combination of plenary talks, parallel science sessions, and a poster session. The agenda and registration information will be forthcoming.
 
In the Spirit of the Rovaniemi Process 2015, November 24-26, 2015 (Rovaniemi, Lapland, Finland). When the Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy, the so-called Rovaniemi Process, was adopted in 1991, it aimed at overcoming divisions and turning the zone of Cold War military tensions into a region of peace and co-operation. In this joint effort focusing on the protection of environment, and later, sustainable development, the Arctic states supported by indigenous organizations laid grounds for institutionalized collaboration and the emergence of Arctic regional identity. The second international conference will bring together decision-makers, scholars, artists, designers and students to address these questions and discuss the Arctic in global, regional and local perspectives.

Arctic Encounter Paris (AEP 2015), December 11-12, 2015 (Paris, France) (During the UN Convention on Climate Change - COP21).  The Arctic Encounter Paris will take place at the French Senate at Luxembourg Palace and the French Military College,  École Militaire, in Paris, France, on the final days of the monumental United Nations Convention on Climate Change (COP21) where thousands of global citizens and government delegates will be gathered to deliberate the world's response to our changing planet in Paris. The AEP is the only Arctic policy side event currently planned to take place during the UN Convention.  A reception will take place following the closing panel.

3rd Annual Arctic Encounter Symposium (AES 2016), January 15-16, 2016 (Seattle, WA, USA).  Building upon the preceding Arctic Encounter event in Paris, the third annual Arctic Encounter Symposium (AES) in Seattle, Washington will convene policymakers, industry leaders, and leading experts to confront the leading issues in Arctic policy, innovation, and development. As the largest annual Arctic policy event in the United States, the AES mission is to raise awareness, engage challenges, and develop solutions for the future of a region and a people. The two-day program includes two keynote luncheons, expert plenary sessions, break out sessions, a networking cocktail reception and seated dinner at the  Museum of History and Industry  on South Lake Union . A closing reception will take place at the conclusion of the program.  The official host of the third annual AES is the University of Washington School of Law. 
 
Arctic Science Summit Week Arctic Observing Summit, March 12-18, 2016 (Fairbanks, AK, USA).   ASSW is the annual gathering of international organizations that support and facilitate long-term planning in Arctic research. In 2016, ASSW will be held in conjunction with AOS, which brings people together to facilitate the design, implementation, coordination and sustained long-term operation of an international network of Arctic observing systems.
  
11th International Conference on Permafrost (ICOP 2016), June 20-24, 2016 (Potsdam, Germany). The Alfred Wegener Institute has teamed up with UP Transfer GmbH and the University of Potsdam to organize a great conference for you, permafrost researchers. The conference aims at covering all relevant aspects of permafrost research, engineering and outreach on a global and regional level.
  

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