The IASC State of Arctic Science Report 2022 presents a cohesive synthesis of Arctic research activities and priorities with of a large range of input and contributions across all aspects of Arctic research. It is aimed at Arctic science agencies, managers, and users including a wide range of decision-makers and policymakers, to help all Arctic science stakeholders stay up to date on Arctic research.
Published since 2020 by the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC), it has been updated on an annual basis by the members of several IASC or IASC-affiliated committees including the IASC Working Groups (Atmosphere, Cryosphere, Marine, Social and Human, Terrestrial); the International Science Initiative in the Russian Arctic (ISIRA); the former IASC Action Group on Indigenous Involvement, the Arctic Data Committee (ADC), and the Sustaining Arctic Observing Network (SAON). The content of the report is compiled by the researchers themselves and is not exhaustive.
The Arctic – a unique and globally important region – is also a rapidly changing region. More than ever before, we (Arctic, non-Arctic and Indigenous and northern residents) need to continue to build the understanding of the Arctic, including systems, and the connections between systems. Bigger than any one discipline or country can hope to address individually, IASC leads by bringing together science disciplines and international collaboration, prioritizing science over nationality.
The State of Arctic Science 2022 is expected to provide benefits by identifying priorities, linkages, and gaps in the current work of the international Arctic research community. For example:
- Arctic research must be truly interdisciplinary, and indeed convergent, in order to meet both Arctic and global challenges.
- The Arctic research community must improve its efforts to respect and implement the priorities, voices, and contributions of Indigenous Peoples and other Arctic residents.
- International and interdisciplinary cooperation are critical to studying Arctic systems and should be encouraged and expanded.
- Arctic data sharing, discoverability, access, and re-use continue to be difficult challenges, but improvements in these areas will be crucial for future success when it comes to long-term monitoring.
- Current levels of Arctic monitoring and research are insufficient to meet the grand challenges facing the Arctic, despite the hard work and investments of both Arctic and non-Arctic countries.
The State of Arctic Science 2022 remains an initial effort to describe the status of the scientific endeavor at high northern latitudes. Building on the foundation of ICARP III, IASC has compiled this report out of broad, bottom-up contributions from the IASC scientific community. Arctic change is accelerating, and Arctic science is vast, and so this report simply summarizes - some of the highlights of Arctic research.
This report adds value and is a useful contribution for researchers, policymakers, and all research stakeholders by setting out the state of Arctic science.
While this report is static, Arctic research is vibrant and evolving. Therefore, IASC will update this report on an annual basis in the future.
Email info@iasc.info and find out more about IASC at iasc.info.