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."

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.

The overall focus of the ECOGREEN consortium is to establish the scientific basis for a long-term ecosystem-based management of marine resources in West Greenland. The West Greenland society relies almost entirely on marine resources for industrial as well as subsistence utilisation. Today, the West Greenland marine ecosystem is very productive and sustains fisheries which contribute 95% of Greenland’s total export value. The Greenland Marine ecosystem also sustains seals and whales who feed in the area during summer, and, from the entire North Atlantic, seabirds by the million find a critical winter habitat resource in the ice-free area. Human use of the West Greenland marine ecosystem presents a complex mosaic of small- and large-scale commercial fishing, as well as subsistence and recreational fishing and hunting.