The workshop aimed at developing a IASC Marine Working Group document as a contribution to the next ICARP IV. In order to involve as many WG members as possible in the discussion, and ensure different perspectives to be reflected in the document, the in-person meeting was anticipated by interactive online discussion to share ideas through the Miro platform followed by a preparatory online meetings. This preparatory phase help to nail down the research priorities on four core themes originally included in the MWG Strategy Plan (2023): "Sea ice and Stratification," "Disturbances," "Biogeochemical Cycles," and "Connectivity and Borealization". To facilitate discussion around the main themes and contribute to capacity building, a Senior Chair (MWG member) and a Junior Chair (MWG fellow) were nominated for each of the pillars. Twenty-two members and fellows from sixteen countries contributed to the preparatory phase. This work primarily focused on the identification of emerging challenges and knowledge gaps reflecting the most urgent priorities for marine research.
The in-person meeting in Bologna began with a general presentation of the main outcomes of the preparatory work, followed by a discussion on the format of the MWG contribution to ensure the most effective way to convey the information to the ICARP process. After a short introduction illustrating the main drivers of change in the marine Arctic and highlighting their global implications, the document was organized around main themes/pillars building on the MWG Strategy Plan. However, besides the five themes identified in the MWG Strategy Plan, the theme “Humans” was added to incorporate research priorities addressing the interactions between physical/ecological processes and social dynamics. A final paragraph makes it explicit the connection between the research priorities identified by the MWG and the different Research Priority Teams (RPTs) within ICARP IV. The document will be shared with all MWG members, including those who did not participate to the on-line and in-person activities, and finalized in September 2024 for submission to ICARP IV.
Scientific Highlights
- The Bologna workshop, following the online preparatory meeting, identified key challenges in the marine Arctic research and narrowed them down to six main research priorities: "Sea ice and Stratification", "Disturbances", "Biogeochemical Cycles", and "Connectivity and Borealization", “ Marine life” and “Human”.
- All strategic core challenges identified by the MWG aligned well with the seven research priorities that form the backbone of the ICARP IV process.
- The six research priorities were systematically organized and clustered according to their interactions and feedback mechanisms within a hierarchical framework, and were subsequently linked by clearly identified drivers and consequences.
Date and Location:
- June 12-13, 2024 | Bologna, Italy
IASC Working Groups funding the Project:
- Marine WG
Project Lead:
Laura Ghigliotti (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche), Tommaso Tesi (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche)
Year funded by IASC
2024