The European Polar Board in Arctic and Polar research

Presented by

Roberto Azzolini

National Research Council of Italy

European Polar Board

The European Polar Board (EPB) was established by the European Science Foundation in 1995, with the aim to be the Europe’s strategic advisory body on science policy in the Arctic and Antarctica.

Strategic activities are the launch and coordination of common initiatives, support to new frontier research, polar science foresight, development of international cooperation.

From January 1st 2015, the European Polar Board Secretariat will be hosted and operated by the NWO (Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research)

The European Polar Board

Deep historical, geographic, economic and scientific links with the Arctic. Partnerships: Denmark + Greenland, Finland and Sweden are Arctic Member States;

Iceland and Norway are members of the European Economic Area; Canada, Russia and the United States are strategic partners .

The Arctic is a vital and vulnerable components of the Earth’s environment and climate system.

New technologies will gradually increase access to Arctic living and non-living resources as well as to new navigation routes. Arctic Regions will be increasingly at risk from the combined effects of climate change and increased human activity.

Environmental changes are altering the geo-strategic dynamics of the Arctic, calling for the development of an EU Arctic policy.

Europe in the Arctic

The Arctic region, and particularly the European Arctic, is an area of growing strategic importance to the EU; some of the main issues are: (EC Com 763, 2008: European Union and the Arctic Region)

Courtesy Arctic Portal

Courtesy Arctic Portal

Arctic Shipping Courtesy Arctic Portal

European Union in the Arctic

From 2008 to 2014 several Political and Strategic Statements have been provided by the European Union (Parliament, European Commission), and by the Council of the European Union, among which:

European Commission: Communications from the Commission to the European Parliament, COM 468 and COM 763, 2008: The European Union and the Arctic Region

European Parliament - December 2010 – Report on a sustainable EU policy for the High North (Gahler Report).

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

European Commission and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy - June 2012 - Joint Communication to the European Parliament and the Council: Developing a European Union Policy towards the Arctic Region: progress since 2008 and next steps

European Parliament - Resolution on the EU strategy for the Arctic, February 2014

Council of the European Union: Council conclusions on developing a European Union Policy towards the Arctic Region - Brussels, May 2014

Council of The European Union: Council conclusions on Arctic issues - Brussels, 8 December 2009

European Parliament - January2011 – Resolution on a sustainable EU policy for the High North.

European Union in the Arctic

From 2008 to 2014 several Political and Strategic Statements have been provided by the European Union (Parliament, European Commission), and by the Council of the European Union, among which:

European Commission: Communications from the Commission to the European Parliament, COM 468 and COM 763, 2008: The European Union and the Arctic Region

European Parliament - December 2010 – Report on a sustainable EU policy for the High North (Gahler Report).

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

European Commission and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy - June 2012 - Joint Communication to the European Parliament and the Council: Developing a European Union Policy towards the Arctic Region: progress since 2008 and next steps

European Parliament - Resolution on the EU strategy for the Arctic, February 2014

Council of the European Union: Council conclusions on developing a European Union Policy towards the Arctic Region - Brussels, May 2014

Council of The European Union: Council conclusions on Arctic issues - Brussels, 8 December 2009

European Parliament - January2011 – Resolution on a sustainable EU policy for the High North.

European Union’s Recommendations on the Arctic

Council of the European Union - Council conclusions on developing a European Union Policy towards the Arctic Region, 12 May 2014

Based on the European Parliament resolution on the EU strategy for the Arctic of 30 February 2014, the Council confirms that, among other issues, the EU should:

enhance its contribution to Arctic cooperation; intensify dialogue on Arctic matter and explore appropriate ways of ensuring that

Arctic indigenous peoples are informed and consulted; enhanced contribution by the EU to Arctic research; ensure that Arctic-relevant programmes financed by the EU under the 2014-

2020 multi-annual financial framework, meet the development needs of local populations and offer better opportunities for circumpolar cooperation and research as well as Arctic economic development;

Work for the further development of an integrated and coherent Arctic Policy by December 2015.

About the European Polar Board

Europe has internationally acknowledged leadership in many key areas of polar research.

This is coupled with an wide-ranging infrastructure and operational capabilities both in the Arctic and the Antarctica.

EPB Polar Network

•25 Polar Institutions from 18 European Countries•22 Antarctic Stations + several logistic facilities•23 Arctic Stations•13 Research Icebreakers or ice vessels

•Over 300 Ml Euros per year of investment (source EUROPOLAR-ERANET, 2006)

The EPB is a scientific and operational platform for European engagement in international science programmes

MOU ‘EUROPEAN POLAR FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT’ IMPLEMENTATION

Provides a flexible and open framework for variable geometry cooperation Encourages convergence of planning and joint programming Works towards enhanced cooperation in utilization of research

Infrastructures

The MoU is a core instrument for EPB cooperation between national programs involving ministries, funding agencies and logistical operators

EUROPEAN POLAR BOARD ATCM SCAR/COMNAP Barents Council Baltic Council Arctic Council

IASCFARO

Austria

Belgium

Bulgaria

Denmark

Estonia

Finland

France observer observer observer

Germany observer observer

Iceland no Treaty Party

Italy observer observer observer

The Netherland observer observer observer

Norway

Poland observer observer

Portugal

Spain observer observer

Sweden

Switzerland

United Kingdom observer observer observer

Eu Commission EU Commission

Russia/observer

From: Arctic and Antarctic Science for Europe: the Polar Region in a connected world. EPB 2013

Polar climates and our connected world: To develop reliable predictive capabilities comprehensive environmental research and monitoring of the Polar Regions must be sustained.

Polar Regions, areas of technological innovation and development: Technology and innovation should be used to provide enhanced observational data, reduce logistical costs, and reduce human presence and environmental impact in sensitive ecosystems.

Natural Resources in Polar Oceans: Baseline documentation of polar marine environments and ecosystems is needed to effectively manage natural resources.

Polar Infrastructures and Scientific Platforms: European assets in the Arctic and Antarctic regions are a very substantial resource with the potential to be used even more effectively.

Overarching priorities in Polar Science, Technology an Infrastructure

Social engagements with Arctic and Antarctic: Large-scale processes of change in the Polar Regions comprise not only environmental dynamics, but also economic, social, political and legal ones. Arctic and Antarctic offers distinct but sometimes complementary perspectives

ARICE ARCTIC RESEARCH ICEBREAKER CONSORTIUM FOR EUROPECreating a mechanism for Increasing the coordination and a more cost-effective usage of available European heavy icebreakers through transnational harmonisation of scientific and ship operational planning, especially in the High Arctic EPB-ESA MOU

Developing of a framework agreement between EPB and ESA in order to facilitate the conclusion of specific individual agreements between ESA and EPB members on common scientific targets.

ARCTIC-ECRA MOU (EUROPEAN CLIMATE RESEARCH ALLIANCE)A cooperative programme on the Arctic Climate Stability and Change in the framework of the European Climate Research Alliance (ECRA)

Some ongoing initiatives

EUROFLEETS2 It is an EU funded project providing scientists with fully-funded days of ship-time and of marine equipment to carry out ship-based research activities within any field of marine sciences. It includes a Polar component

The EU-Polarnet overall target is to coordinate polar research in Europe and develop a comprehensive European polar research programme.

EU-Polarnet is an Horizon 2020 funded Coordination Action in the framework of the BG-15 2014 Call “European Polar Research Cooperation”.

EU-Polarnet will provide a long term Action Plan by identifying current European research and infrastructure strengths and weakness, critical scientific gaps, designing procedures for the optimal joint use of European facilities.

EU-Polarnet will link European Polar research and infrastructure with global partners, (e.g. AMAP, NSF, CPC), International Polar Organizations (e.g. Arctic Council, APECS, IASC,SCAR), Polar programmes, Networks and International Initiatives (e.g. SAON, SOOS, SIOS, INTERACT, EUAIC, GCW, ICARP-III, Belmont, IPPI).

On 12 March 2014, representatives of 64 organizations gathered at the Arctic 2050 forum in Brussels to discuss how to best manage the consequences of a changing Arctic Ocean.

The forum delegates represented a wide range of stakeholders spanning industry, policy, and academia as well as NGOs and consultancies.

Forum participants stressed the need for industry and science to work together and contribute to sustainable management of the Arctic Ocean by providing data for mitigating the impacts and addressing the opportunities posed by current environmental changes in the region.

Nineteen top institutes on Arctic excellence in Europe propose the establishment of a permanent EU Arctic Information Centre, a "network of networks“ designed to provide quick and easy information about the Arctic to policy-makers. 

The EUAIC network aims to act as a ‘boundary organization’ of information that facilitates two-way communication between experts, decision makers, stakeholders and the public. (Courtesy Arctic Centre, Rovaniemi)

EU European Arctic Information Centre (EUAIC)

CONCLUSIONEPB members manage a huge asset of Polar infrastructures and a network of polar scientists, scientific observatories and top-level world-wide operational capabilities.

EPB is a unique European Organization to provide:•Planning of ambitious goals of scientific and societal relevance in and by means of polar activities in any scientific domains.•Optimized usage of Polar infrastructures. •Powerful observation systems and prediction capacity.•Effective international partership and cooperation.

EPB Countries are full members or observers of the major Arctic and Antarctic Political and Scientific Organizations.

EPB is the gateway for accessing the Scientific European Polar System and reliable up-to date scientific information for developing European Polar policy and Strategies.

Thank you for your attention