Trace metals iron, zinc, copper, manganese, nickel and cobalt are essential for every living cell and organism of our planet. Recently we discovered that algae in the Southern Ocean, the basis of the entire Antarctic food-chain up to penguins and whales, suffer from a lack of dissolved iron for their growth and CO2 fixation. The role of the other metals in Arctic and Antarctic oceanic waters is virtually unknown. We will quantify distributions, role and fate of several trace metals. Combination with key natural isotopes allows the unraveling of sources and turnover rates of these Trace Elements and Isotopes in waters and ice of the polar oceans.

"ENVIROVET ARCTIC will provide four weeks of lecture, laboratory and field experiences in Northern Norway and Svalbard to wildlife biologists, veterinarians, students on the university level and managers in the area of Arctic marine and terrestrial wildlife and ecosystem health. It course will highlight international cooperation and the transdisciplinary nature of work required for effective wildlife and ecosystem research and problem-solving in the Arctic. "

25 artists will travel Arctic waters summer 2006, celebrating Amundsen's 1906 navigation of the Northwest Passage. Following earlier Arctic artists, they will paint their northern impressions and return south to share the images across Canada and beyond. With this historical body of artwork created for the new millennium, they hope to increase interest and awareness in the Arctic and bring attention to its beauty and fragile nature.

The Arctic Ocean environment is undergoing tremendous changes over the last decreased with shrinking sea ice cover and increased freshwater run-off and coastal erosion. The documentation of the current state of Arctic marine biological diversity is urgently needed to understand and evaluate the impact of climate change. The Arctic Ocean Diversity project (ArcOD) is an international collaborative effort to inventory biodiversity in the Arctic's three realms (sea ice, water column and sea floor) from the shallow shelves to the deep basins.

Integrated Communication, Education and Evaluation: A Clearinghouse and Coordinating Effort for IPY EOC Working with education and communication experts around the world, we will help coordinate and add value to IPY education, outreach and communications (EOC) activities, linking to formal and informal science education networks and standards, leveraging existing talent and tools in order to help maximize the potential for IPY to serve as a catalyst for science education and awareness.

Global Toxic Pollution, Arctic Contamination - Making the Link
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and mercury are toxic chemicals carried by air and water to the Arctic. There, they accumulate in wildlife, as well as in northern people who eat traditional foods. This project will gather information on:
·the source of these pollutants,
·how climate affects where they end up; and
·impacts on northern ecosystems and people.

POLar study using Aircraft, Remote sensing, surface measurements and modelling of Climate, chemistry, Aerosols and Transport (POLARCAT) "Aerosols have a large effect on radiation transmission in the Arctic troposphere, both directly and indirectly via clouds. POLARCAT will study transport to the Arctic of aerosols, as well as of air pollution more generally, from anthropogenic sources and boreal forest fires. It will address the effects of this pollution on atmospheric chemistry and climate. POLARCAT will use a large number of aircraft, a ship, a train, surface stations, as well as satellite data and numerical models. The first campaign, from 26 March - 19 April will use two aircraft based in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen. Other campaigns in February 2008 and summer 2008 will follow with aircraft being based at various locations throughout the Arctic and in the boreal region."

Inter-discipline Survey along Prydz Bay, Amery Ice Shelf and Dome A The 2000km interconnected Prydz Bay-Amery Ice Shelf-Lambert Basin-Dome A (PANDA) section in Antarctica plays an important role in Antarctic mass balance, sea level and climate change. About thirty observation systems for glaciology, oceanography, geology/geophysics, sun-earth physics, atmospheric science and astronomy will be installed and implemented along the section by the international cooperative expeditions leading by China during IPY2007-2009 and beyond.

Because of their cold, dry and stable air, the polar regions are the finest locations on the planet for making frontline astronomical observations. AstroPoles is a 15-nation project to assess the astronomical conditions at four polar sites – Dome A and Dome C in Antarctica, and summit Station and Ellesmere Island in the Arctic. By measuring sky brightness, optical seeing, water vapour content and the meteorological conditions at these sites, AstroPoles will provide baseline data to assess what astronomical facilities could be built in the polar regions, and the kind of science they could tackle.

The local non-state-bearing languages found in the Arctic are used in various degrees, but are all crucial for the ethnic identity as used in communication, media, literature, etc. The question of general sustainable development in the local regions of the Arctic includes also the question of sustainable development of intellectual culture and language competence. The 'glocalization' as covering both ‘globalization’ and ‘localization’ is the process where the impact of global cultural tendencies is seen as partly opposed by local tendencies. Even at the utmost remote settings one finds the co-presence and interplay of both universalizing and particularizing tendencies. The question is how exactly globalization takes place: How much impact do local cultural policy, local media policy and local language policy have on the development? Who are the decision-makers formally as well as informally? Arctic research is important in an international perspective as it may contribute to mainstream research revealing quite different results as to ideas of identity, culture, mobility, and world view.