This process will engage Arctic researchers, policy makers, 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.

The first ICARP was convened in Hanover, New Hampshire in 1995, implementing the IASC Founding Articles' call for IASC to host such a conference periodically in order to "review the status of Arctic science, provide scientific and technical advice, and promote cooperation and links with other national and international organizations." Since then, it has been the role of IASC to coordinate this important meeting every decade. ICARP II was held in Copenhagen, Denmark in 2005 and developed twelve forward-looking science plans and resulted in several follow-up international projects and programs, mostly within the framework of the International Polar Year 2007–2008. ICARP III was in Toyama, Japan in 2015 and provided a framework to further the development of cross-cutting, interdisciplinary, and trans-disciplinary initiatives for advancing Arctic research cooperation and applications for Arctic knowledge. The IASC Strategic Plan (2018–2023) builds on the key priorities and overarching messages of ICARP III.

For ICARP IV, a process initiating in 2022 will culminate at the ICARP conference to be convened in Boulder, Colorado in 2025, 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.

The ICARP IV process during 2022 to 2025 must be well-planned and coordinated with other ongoing international activities. ICARP IV will identify important research questions and priorities that cut across disciplines and knowledge systems, and that require new and innovative thinking and collaboration. ICARP IV will develop a vision for implementation and science plans for addressing these priorities. An integral aspect of the ICARP IV will be the inclusion of early career scientists (in collaboration with APECS), Indigenous Peoples, and local residents in the development of priorities and science plans to address the key questions.

Scientific Foci

It is the intention of IASC that the focus of ICARP IV be on important research questions that cut across many disciplines and knowledge systems. IASC recognizes that Traditional Knowledge, Indigenous Knowledge, and academic scientific knowledge are coequal and complementary knowledge systems that all can and should inform the work of IASC and ICARP IV. Research efforts should provide improved understanding and predictive capabilities for the evolution of Arctic systems. Consideration will be given to providing relevant and useful information that peoples in the Arctic and those in more temperate regions need in order to adapt and prepare for the changing Arctic and its impact on global systems.

Community-wide Engagement in ICARP IV

The ICARP IV process must mesh with other ongoing international activities and have broad community support and sponsorship. To ensure this, IASC is engaging our partners in Arctic research to enable a community-wide undertaking. We are continuing to recruit a cadre of leaders from across diverse institutions to guide the planning and facilitate the successful execution of this ambitious conference. This Steering Group will oversee the implementation of the ICARP IV process and provide intellectual and organizational support for the undertaking.

IASC encourages institutions and organizations that want to participate in the ICARP IV process to contact the IASC Secretariat at info@iasc.info.

 

More information here.