'Understanding Earth’s Polar Challenges' was presented to the Arctic Science Summit Week in Seoul, Republic of Korea. The summary prepared by the International Council for Science (ICSU) and World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Joint Committee presents the findings from International Polar Year.
Compiled by some 300 authors and reviewers, the summary reveals how the research established large-scale baseline data sets which can be used to assess and predict future change in areas including polar environments and oceans, biodiversity and ecosystem processes. It advanced coordinated satellite observations of polar ice sheets and new measurement systems for permafrost and polar atmosphere.
In the social and human field, the polar research will provide long-term benefits to many stakeholders, including polar residents and indigenous people. It increased understanding of how indigenous knowledge could be combined with instrumental data in monitoring the changes in polar ice, snow and vegetation cover, marine and terrestrial animal migrations, behavioral patterns of polar animals, birds, and fishes.
Last, but not least, the International Polar Year trained a new generation of scientists and leaders who are determined to carry this legacy into the future. It offered an inspiring window into the capabilities of modern interdisciplinary and international science.
You can view the full report online under: www.arcticportal.org/ipy-joint-committee.