The mission of the Defense Science Board (DSB) is to provide independent advice and recommendations on matters relating to the DoD's scientific and technical enterprise. The objective of the meeting is to obtain, review, and evaluate classified information related to the DSB's mission. DSB membership will meet to discuss the 2023 DSB Summer Study on Climate Change and Global Security (“the DSB Summer Study”). The DSB members will meet in a plenary session to discuss classified strategies for anticipating global stresses and possible conflict due to climate change. DSB members will hear classified remarks from Mr. Greg Pollock, Principal Director, Office of Arctic and Global Resilience Policy, regarding an Arctic & Global Resilience Overview among other presentations.

The hearings began on January 15th of 2019, after the issue came up because of a conviction for illegal fishing of an EU fishing vessel, the Senator, in the waters off the remote Arctic Svalbard archipelago. The ship’s owner, Latvian fisherman Peteris Pildegovics, appealed a ruling to the Supreme Court, seeking to assert a right to fish for snow crab off Svalbard.

Thirty-seven U.S. and Canadian soldiers were tactically inserted by way of an LC-130 Hercules on Arctic Ocean ice just east of Little Cornwallis Island in Nunavut, Canada, during exercise Guerrier Nordique 23 on March 15, 2023. The multi-country and joint effort is the first ever platoon movement of its kind. The New York Air National Guard's 109th Airlift Wing is the only ski equipped tactical C-130 with flying missions focusing on snow and ice landings, which is made possible by multi-capable Airmen trained to build and groom those runways. The LC-130H is equipped with 4-by-20-foot feet skis that make landing possible on specially built skiways and ski landing areas.

Temperatures in parts of the Arctic were six degrees or more above average in February. It's difficult to forecast with certainty the speed at which climate change will transform our planet's northern polar region, however researchers are observing that the ice is thinning rapidly, and models predict that ice-free Arctic summers are on the horizon.

Every year, the Canadian Coast Guard ship Amundsen makes a trek through the Labrador Sea, operating as an icebreaker and research vessel. On the most recent trip in 2022, the scenery was brand new to many of the scientists on board, but for two of them, northern Labrador is home. “There’s a nice little beach up inside there,” said Carla Pamak, the research adviser for the Nunatsiavut government, as the ship drifted near Hebron Fiord.

Shipping in the Russian Arctic relies on vast dredging operations to deepen shallow coastal areas and passages along the Northern Sea Route. As a result of sanctions, western dredging operators have withdrawn from Russia raising questions if shipping routes can be maintained. And the effects of large-scale dredging on the environment are largely unknown, scientists caution.

The U.S. Coast Guard Academy, located in New London, Connecticut, is seeking a passionate Arctic Study and Policy Researcher and Educator who inspires students and is ready to be inspired by our Corps of Cadets. Who May Apply:  This vacancy is open to U.S. Citizens and non-citizens. Hiring restrictions may apply to certain non-U.S. Citizens. See the “Other information” section of this announcement.

In 2016, then-President Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada jointly charted a new course for collaborative leadership in the Arctic. With the motivation provided by our shared borders, close economic ties and the common challenges faced by the Indigenous peoples in both countries whose culture and way of life has flourished in this remote part of the world for thousands of years, Canada and the United States have played a pivotal role in promoting solutions to shared challenges in the Arctic. Now is the time for the two nations to reaffirm their commitment to work together to meet the growing climate-linked challenges in their far North, from intensifying wildfires and thawing permafrost, to plant and animal impacts imperiling Indigenous subsistence and cultures, to a changing Arctic Ocean and all that this entails for the region and the globe.

The US Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works will hold an oversight hearing on the US Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed Fiscal Year 2024 budget.

The Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs of the US Senate Committee on Appropriations will hold a hearing to review the Fiscal Year 2024 budget requests for the US Department of State.

The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee will hold an oversight hearing to review the Fiscal Year 2024 State Department Budget Request.

The Subcommittee on Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology of the US House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture will hold a hearing to review Title VII: US Department of Agriculture’s implementation of research programs.

The US Arctic Research Commission will hold its 116th meeting in person at the Northwest Arctic Heritage Center (National Park Service) in Kotzebue, AK on March 27th from 1pm – 5pm. Presentations and community discussions will be open to the public from 1pm on March 27th, with a public comment session from 4:30 pm–5pm that day.

This 5-day in-person workshop will provide researchers with an introduction to advanced topics in computationally reproducible research in python, including software and techniques for working with very large datasets. This includes working in cloud computing environments, docker containers, and parallel processing using tools like parsl and dask. The workshop will also cover concrete methods for documenting and uploading data to the Arctic Data Center, advanced approaches to tracking data provenance, responsible research and data management practices including data sovereignty and the CARE principles, and ethical concerns with data-intensive modeling and analysis.

As the largest Arctic policy and business conference in the United States, with partners and convenings worldwide, the Arctic Encounter continues to gather leading voices from around the world. The Arctic Encounter is eager to welcome participants to Alaska for a world-class arts and cultural experience, including dialogue and presentations with elected and international leaders, business executives, Indigenous peoples, scientists, students, defense leaders, diplomats, policymakers, and more.

The Department of State will conduct a public meeting both in-person at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, DC, and via Microsoft Teams. The primary purpose of the meeting is to prepare for the 10th session of the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) Pollution Prevention and Response Sub-Committee (PPR 10) to be held in London, United Kingdom from April 24 to 28, 2023.

The agenda items to be considered at this meeting mirror those to be considered at PPR 10, and include (among other topics):

-      Reduction of the impact on the Arctic of Black Carbon emissions from international shipping

-      Development of measures to reduce risks of use and carriage of heavy fuel oil as fuel by ships in Arctic waters

The 52nd International Arctic Workshop will be held at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The International Arctic Workshop is a friendly, informal, and relaxed conference open to all students and professionals interested in the Arctic. Originally started at INSTAAR at the University of Colorado - Boulder, the Arctic Workshop alternates between INSTAAR and an international host. This year, University of Massachusetts with the department of Earth, Geographic, and Climate Sciences & Climate System Research center will be hosting. 

The geopolitical situation and increased interest in the sustainable development of the Arctic have resulted in new Arctic funding strategies from agencies such as ESA, the American NSF, and the EU work programs. The AITC conference will provide opportunities to interact across scientific, civil, and commercial domains, in three overall thematic tracks Sea, cryosphere, and land, ranging from ocean, sea-ice, and land ice including permafrost and ice-free land, to develop new ideas and projects and to create new collaboration aiming for sustainable development of the Arctic regions and especially Greenland.

The Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) is where energy professionals meet to exchange ideas and opinions to advance scientific and technical knowledge for offshore resources and environmental matters. The conference will include presentations discussing technical solutions, innovations, and advancements of all aspects of the offshore energy industry. Participants will include operators, research, vendors, and stakeholders. The experience of the last 50 years in the Arctic will be in attendance. That expertise and knowledge is available to move forward and support energy, mining, renewables, marine transport, tourism, and other activities in the harshest environments.

The 2023 Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference will focus on Alaska’s role leading the energy transition from established renewable sources to innovative and emerging technologies. World-renowned speakers and experts will highlight the agenda, along with breakout tracks, panel discussions, and multiple networking opportunities.

The 6th biennial "Rovaniemi Arctic Spirit" Conference will be held on 14-15 November 2023 in Rovaniemi, Finland, the birthplace of official Arctic cooperation. This international conference, organized by the City of Rovaniemi and the Arctic Centre at the University of Lapland, gathers policymakers, academics, and other stakeholders for Arctic discussions. Due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, changes in Arctic cooperation will be prominently featured in the conference agenda, and will be explored from the point of view of national and international security, and from a regional perspective, including the Barents region.

In lead up to its 35th anniversary in 2025, the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) is coordinating a multi-year planning process for the Fourth International Conference on Arctic Research Planning (ICARP IV) that will engage Arctic researchers, policymakers, residents, and stakeholders from around the world to collegially discuss the state of Arctic science, the place the Arctic occupies in global affairs and systems, to consider the most urgent knowledge gaps and research priorities that lie before us and to explore avenues to address these research needs. This event is hosted by a consortium of US institutions, including the University of Colorado Boulder, University of Northern Iowa, University of Alaska Fairbanks, and Alaska Pacific University. ICARP I, II, and III focused the attention of the world’s researchers toward the value of strategic international coordination in accelerating progress in addressing critical challenges. ICARP IV will build upon this concept by striving to achieve consensus and build collaborations among the leading scientific, academic, environmental, Indigenous and political organizations currently concerned with Arctic issues.