Climate of the Arctic and its role for Europe/Arctic System Reanalysis The overall objective of IPY-CARE (International Polar Year - Climate of the Arctic and its Role for Europe) is to create, co-ordinate and prepare a Pan-European science and implementation plan for Arctic climate change and ecosystems research programme as contribution to the International Polar Year.

Links between Climate and Human Well-being This project, involving scientists in the U.S., Canada, Russia, Sweden, Germany, and Japan, will document changes in large-scale disturbances (permafrost thaw, fire, insect outbreaks, and forest harvest) occurring throughout the Arctic. We focus especially on the effects of disturbance on future climate, ecosystem change, and the benefits that society receives from ecosystems.

Changing Trends in Polar Research as Reflected in the History of the International Polar Years The aim of the project is to study to what degree research in the Arctic and Antarctic during the first three International polar years primarily was driven by scientific criteria. To what extent were compromises made in the light of political barriers, territorial borders of circumpolar countries and logistical limitations? Employing historical perspectives we will review essential background factors during international workshops and conferences.

The Bering Sea is one of the world’s most productive marine environments. More than $1.5 billion worth of fish is caught there every year. The region is now undergoing alarming environmental changes, including climate change. The local indigenous peoples led by the Aleut International Association, have put together a monitoring project to assess the nature and extent of change. Rather than relying on high-tech remote sensing, the observations will mostly be done by indigenous peoples themselves, their intimate knowledge of their local areas providing them with a finely tuned ability to detect changes, however subtle. Observations will include the shift of southern species north, changes in distribution and abundance of fish and other temperature-sensitive species, changes in ice patterns, and weather observations.

Dense water formation in Polar areas; Impact on global ocean circulation and climate This international team of oceanographers will embark on expeditions to the Polar Oceans with ice going vessels to measure ocean temperature, salinity and currents, ice formation and distribution. They will employ remote sensing as well as bottom anchored instrument moorings to feed global numerical models. The project will try to estimate the impact of dense water formation in the polar regions on the global ocean circulation and climate.

The International Arctic Systems for Observing the Atmosphere Program is coordinating intensive measurements of the Arctic Atmosphere in Canada, Russia, Norway, Finland, Sweden and the U.S. The focus of the program is to combine information so that it can be determined WHY and not just HOW the atmosphere is affecting Arctic climate change). The activities and partnerships initiated during the IPY are expected to continue for decades.

The University of the Arctic (UArctic) will provide and coordinate IPY higher education and outreach activities and services. The UArctic IPY office is located at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Our aim is to provide opportunities for Arctic indigenous people and northern residents to be active IPY participants through UArctic education programs and IPY research projects. During IPY, UArctic’s objective is to increase the participation of indigenous people and northern residents of all ages in education and research, with the ultimate, longer-term goal of increasing their representation in the ranks of scholars who have attained the Ph.D.

"What does it mean for an bird to be sick? How does this affect not only survival but also reproduction. In short, the aim of the project is: The role of parasites and pathogens in determining the size and distribution of arctic and antarctic bird populations. 1. Study geographic variation in infections, parasite loads, viral prevalence, immune system functioning 2. Study the effects of infections, parasites, viruses and immune response on fitness parameters and energetics of individually marked birds 3. Link the observed trends to pathogen-host (or parasite-host) interaction, dynamics of the pool of pathogens and pollution levels. 4. Modelling future scenario’s of geographic variation and relating the findings to climate change, nature management and human health."

Human Health in Arctic Regions The AHHI is an Arctic Council IPY (2007-2008) project that will focus on the health disparities that still exist among residents of Arctic communities when compared to communities in more temporate regions, and the human health challenges that are posed by climate change, environmental pollution, and sustainable development in Arctic regions. Research will be conducted in the US Arctic (Alaska), northern Canada, Greenland/Denmark, Iceland, Norway Finland, Sweden and northern Regions of the Russian Federation.