The US Arctic Research Commission will hold its 118th meeting in room 204 of the Administrative/Humanities Building on the University of Alaska Anchorage campus, starting at 8:30 am, on April 9, 2024. The meeting is open to the public for in-person participation. The draft meeting agenda can be found here.

On April 9, 9am AKT / 1pm ET, please join IARPC and the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) for a webinar on the Fourth International Conference on Arctic Research Planning (ICARP IV). In this webinar, Matthew Druckenmiller, Andrey Petrov, and April Melvin will provide an update and seek input on: the goals and organizational structure of ICARP IV; ways to get involved and contribute to ICARP IV; the work of the seven ICARP IV Research Priority Teams; planning for the ICARP IV Summit in March 2025, which will be held as part of Arctic Science Summit Week (ASSW) 2025 in Boulder, Colorado; and ICARP IV outcomes and deliverables.

The federal government says it will spend billions of dollars on the military over the next several years, including in Canada's North. The new defense policy announced on Monday ahead of the federal government's annual budget will include $8.1 billion over five years and $73 billion over 20 years in military spending. 

The U.S. and its partners are not aiming to create a contested environment in the Arctic – despite an uptick in presence and exercises in the region. “There’s no desire to over-militarize or create a theme of a contested battlespace in the Arctic,” Vice Adm. Douglas Perry, the commander of U.S. 2nd Fleet, said at the Navy League’s annual Sea-Air-Space conference Monday.

New U.S. claims to seabed territory off Alaska have run into an obstacle: an objection from the Russian government. The Russian government, which has staked territorial claims to most of the Arctic Ocean, is challenging the U.S. claims made in December to sovereignty over 520,400 square kilometers of extended outer continental shelf in the Arctic Ocean – an area bigger than California — and another 176,330 square kilometers in the Bering Sea.

The Arctic is often cited for a plethora of impacts resulting from anthropogenic climate change, including glacier retreat and reductions in floating sea ice, meltwater incursions changing ocean salinity, as well as sea level rise to name but a few. As the region is warming three times faster than the global average annually, ice-albedo feedbacks will only exacerbate the issue further. This mechanism focuses on melting ice exposing more "dark" surface ocean and land to absorb heat to cause further melting, compared to the reflective nature of ice that would otherwise encourage cooling.

IARPC and collaborators have compiled a list of planned research expedition dates, planned routes, and research goals for 2024 expeditions in Alaska and Arctic waters. Our hope is that researchers can use the information about research expeditions to coordinate activities, and that communities can use it to understand what vessels are in their waters and how to contact them if necessary. You can view the list here. The information will be regularly updated and sent out to those on the email distribution list.

Organizers seek nominations for individuals interested in serving on the UNOLS Arctic Marine Research Capabilities Committee. The committee will consist of:

1. Up to 12 people
2. Chair – an academic researcher
3. 8-9 members from the research vessel user community including international membership and disciplinary balance.
4. 3-4 Technical / Operational Experts (naval architects, R/V operators, and R/V Technical Support personnel).

Self-nominations are strongly encouraged.  If you are interested in representing community perspectives on current and emerging needs for polar research, we urge you to apply for membership on the AMRCC.  Applicants or nominees should submit a brief statement of interest in serving on AMRCC along with a CV to the UNOLS Office by email <office@unols.org>. Please include information about your sea-going and/or polar experience.  Statements of Interest and CVs are requested by April 28, 2024.  Appointments will be made in a manner to achieve a balance of expertise in the different scientific disciplines and technical areas.  Committee members will be formally appointed by the UNOLS Chair.  

As the largest Arctic policy and business conference in North America, with partners and convenings worldwide, the Arctic Encounter continues to gather leading voices from around the world. The Arctic Encounter is eager to welcome 1,000+ participants to Alaska for a world-class arts and cultural experience, including policy debates, dialogue with international leaders, business executives, Indigenous peoples, scientists, students, defense leaders, diplomats, policymakers, and more.

This “breakout session,” in the Arctic Encounter Symposium program, will be held from 10:25 to 11:25 am on April 11th in the Dena’ina Center’s “Tubughnenq’” meeting room. The session will be moderated by John Farrell, USARC, and will include panelists: Mark Myers, USARC, Geoff Ellis, US Geological Survey, and Erin Whitney, DOE Arctic Energy Office. 

Recent discoveries have overturned the previously held view that naturally occurring geological hydrogen is an insignificant source of hydrogen, which can deliver and store a tremendous amount of clean energy with only water as a byproduct. Based on drilling in Africa, Europe, Australia, and the lower 48, a number of new companies have sprung up with the goal of finding and extracting natural hydrogen gas. While there are geological settings in Alaska, and the broader Arctic region, that may be conducive to producing natural hydrogen, which are typically not associated with oil and gas deposits, they have yet to be studied and assessed. Hydrogen can be used to power vehicles, ships, planes, power generators, and other industrial applications. And it’s likely that natural hydrogen can be produced at a lower price and with lower energy (less carbon) than other types of hydrogen, including that created from renewable energy.

Presented by the U.S. Commercial Service Canada, CanArctic Industry Days is set to bring together U.S. exporters from strategic sectors with Canadian Arctic Indigenous groups. The program is designed to foster a bilateral dialogue centered on knowledge sharing, the expansion of economic development opportunities in Canada's Arctic, and the exploration of potential bilateral partnerships within this dynamically evolving and geo-strategic region. Taking place in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, and Iqaluit, Nunavut—two strategically chosen locations—this event promises a unique and impactful experience for all U.S. company presenters.

The European Commission and the European External Action Service jointly host the EU Arctic Forum and Indigenous Peoples’ Dialogue. The EU Arctic Forum will provide an opportunity to assess recent developments in the Arctic and to discuss challenges ahead. It will look at some of the achievements of the EU Arctic policy in recent years and will continue to provide a strategic outlook for the years to come. The Indigenous Peoples’ Dialogue will offer a platform for discussion on Arctic matters affecting Indigenous Peoples.

Launch Alaska hosts this event to celebrate Launch Alaska Portfolio companies and build new connections between the people and projects accelerating the energy transition in Alaska. This event is held the day before the Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference and is part of that program. 

Guided by the theme “Transforming Energy Now for the Next 50 Years,” the 2024 Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference will focus on real world examples in Alaska and around the globe demonstrating progress in the energy transition including established renewable sources, advancements in energy storage, and emerging technologies such as green fuels and advanced nuclear power. World-renowned speakers and experts will highlight the agenda, along with breakout tracks, panel discussions, and multiple networking opportunities.

Nordland Research Institute and NORD University host this event. The congress includes high-level plenary sessions, several parallel sessions, network activities, and social and cultural events. Researchers, policymakers, businesses, and students exchange knowledge and connect across the Arctic. IASSA and UArctic will also hold their General Assemblies.

The 12^th International Conference on Permafrost will consider “Integrating Perspectives of Permafrost Thaw, Change, and Adaptation.” The conference will address the most recent developments and stimulate engaging technical and scientific discussions among academics, professionals, contractors, suppliers, and students. The impacts of climate change and economic development have significantly changed the Arctic, in recent decades, resulting in a wealth of research initiatives and challenging engineering projects. Event partners include the Canadian Permafrost Association, IPA, and Yukon University.

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.