In a little over a week, the parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) will hold their annual meeting, dubbed COP26, in Glasgow, Scotland. At that meeting, tens of thousands of negotiators, government representatives, businesses and citizens will come together to discuss ways to build on the achievements and momentum of the historic 2015 Paris climate accords.

Scientists are observing an unusual cooling process in the Pacific Arctic against the backdrop of global warming. This natural phenomenon has allowed polar bears and walruses to resume their customary lifestyle on the ice and to stop wading ashore. “First of all, we can talk about lower temperatures in Chukotka and Alaska because walruses have stopped showing up in coastal areas, where they lived over the past 20 years. No walruses were sighted this year < … > This is not abnormal, the situation is returning to normal. For the last 20 years, there was an abnormal warming process. Current sea-ice formations are not as thick as they were 40 years ago, but they are approaching these levels. I am delighted to say that the walruses and the bears have been given a respite,” said Anatoly Kochnev, PhD (Biology), a research associate with Beringia National Park and an expert on marine mammals.

Growing up on Baffin Island, Enooyaq Sudlovenick often ventured out on the water with her parents, leaning off the side of their boat to scoop up and marvel at schools of sea angels. When ocean levels dipped, she would search shallow tidal pools for eels and northern krill. Year-round, she also participated in Inuit hunting, harvesting and fishing traditions. All of this, she says, opened her eyes to an abundant aquatic ecosystem that has sustained her community for millennia.

Narrator: Julienne and Vishnu are running the “Remote Sensing City.” They’re here to answer one of the most fundamental questions of all: just how much ice is in the Arctic Ocean?

Stroeve: We have over 40 years of satellite measurements telling us how much of the Arctic Ocean is covered by sea ice, but what we’ve really lacked is knowing how thick the ice is.

IARPC is currently seeking an Indigenous Engagement and Communication Specialist to coordinate across agencies and serve as a communication hub between IARPC federal agency members and Indigenous communities. This is a full-time position. The full position description, responsibilities, qualifications, and details of how to apply can be found on the IARPC Collaborations website. The position will remain open until filled, with initial review of applications beginning November 1.

IARPC is seeking two fellows to participate in IARPC Collaborations in a leadership capacity. IARPC Collaborations brings together communities of practice led by federal and non-federal co-leaders. Although each of our collaboration teams is discussing issues directly relevant to those living in Alaska and the Arctic and team leaders are experts in their field, very few team leaders have perspectives stemming from deep place-based knowledge in Alaska. This paid fellowship seeks to increase opportunities for Indigenous individuals to lead these communities of practice. Further information, including fellowship description, responsibilities, and how to apply, is available on the IARPC Collaborations website. The positions will remain open until filled, with initial review of applications beginning November 1.

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.

IARPC and the National Science Foundation's Office of Polar Programs Arctic Science Section will host a virtual office hour to share program updates with the Arctic research community. This webinar will introduce new staff, highlight upcoming funding opportunities, and provide updates about the program's approach to mitigating the impacts of COVID-19.

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.

Former USARC Commissioner Major General Randy “Church” Kee USAF (retired) will be a member of two panels: “Arctic Climate Change— ‘Operationally Relevant’ Arctic-Related Research;” and the summation panel. USARC Executive Director John Farrell will also be a panelist on the “Arctic Climate Change—‘Operationally Relevant’ Arctic-Related Research” panel.

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.

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. 

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.

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

Arctic Symposium 2022 continues momentum in Arctic defense and security collaboration established in prior ALCOM-hosted events. AAS22 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. AAS22 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.

The participants in the forum will focus on improving the living standards in the Arctic region, preserving its unique ecological potential, ensuring sustainable socioeconomic development in polar territories, and strengthening international cooperation to this end. The IAF is a unique space for constructive cooperation with international and regional organizations and an opportunity to focus on Russian and international priorities, including climate change, the environment, economic cooperation in the Arctic, sustainable development of transport infrastructure, and human capital development.

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.