|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Polar Research Board Spring Meeting, March 26-28, 2014 (Washington, DC). The Polar Research Board, part of the Division on Earth and Life Studies of the National Academies, will hold its spring meeting to receive updates on issues such as "Linkages between Arctic Sea Ice Loss and Mid-Latitude Weather Patterns;" "Adaptations Actions for a Changing Arctic;" and other study updates. The agenda is available here.
 Today's Congressional Action:
The House and Senate are in session and will consider non-Arctic legislation.
|
 Strategic Plan for Federal Research and Monitoring of Ocean Acidification. This week the Strategic Plan for Federal Research and Monitoring of Ocean Acidification report was released by the Office of Science and Technology Police and transmitted to the Hill. The Plan will help to guide research and monitoring investments to improve our understanding of ocean acidification, its potential impacts on marine species and ecosystems, and adaptation and mitigation strategies. It is a requirement of the Federal Ocean Acidification Research and Monitoring Act of 2009 and an important step in implementation of the National Ocean Policy. The White House
Seismologists, Lawmakers Call for Earthquake Early Warming System. In Congress today, a House subcommittee marked the 5oth anniversary of the Great Alaska Earthquake with a hearing focused on what scientists have learned from that event that can prepare the nation for the next big temblor or tsunami. Seismologists and several lawmakers said Congress needs to pony up for an earthquake early warning system. Alaska Public Radio
 Is the Arctic Really Drunk, or Does it Just Act Like This Sometimes. Just when weather weary Americans thought they'd found a reprieve, the latest forecasts suggest that the polar vortex will, again, descend into the heart of the country next week, bringing with it staggering cold. If so, it will be just the latest weather extreme in a winter that has seen so many of them. California has been extremely dry, while the flood-soaked UK has been extremely wet. Alaska has been extremely hot (as has Sochi), while the snow-pummeled US East Coast has been extremely cold. They're all different, and yet on a deeper level, perhaps, they're all the same. Mother Jones
Uncertain Forecasts. Increasing commercial and research activity in the Arctic has brought with it a growing need for short-term predictions of ice levels. New research shows, however, that producing accurate forecasts remains elusive. A study of 300 summer Arctic sea-ice forecasts made between 2008 to 2013 and found that the predictions were highly accurate when sea ice conditions were close to the downward trend that has been observed over the past 30 years. Arctic Journal
Questions Raised Over Alaska Native Language Bill. A bill that would symbolically make 20 Alaska Native languages as official languages of the state got some real-world pushback Thursday. House Bill 216's co-sponsor, Rep. Charisse Millett, R-Anchorage, was questioned about the ramifications of such designations during a House State Affairs committee. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
 Next Stage of Russian Army Development Should Include Arctic Group- Putin. "Next is the further development of the combat personnel of our armed forces, including in the Arctic region," Putin said on Friday at a ceremony introducing the top officers on the occasion of new appointments and awarding of ranks. Following the implementation of the 2013 state defense procurement, army and fleet equipment with modern arms and military equipment has improved, the president said. Voice of Russia
Ban "Deeply Alarmed" by Climate Change. Were it not for the seriousness of the situation, it had all the makings of a perfect outing: bright skies, a dog-sledge ride, sealskin outfits to protect from the frigid temperatures, "overwhelming" nature and cheerful photo opportunities. But while Ban Ki-moon's visit to Greenland today brought forth big smiles, the UN secretary-general said he had also been "deeply alarmed" by the evidence of climate change he saw during the two-day trip. Arctic Journal
 Report: Nunavut Inuit Go Hungry More Than Any Other First World Indigenous Group. A new study released Thursday says people in Nunavut have the highest food insecurity rate for any indigenous population in a developed country at 68 percent. The report by the Council of Canadian Academies says 35 percent of Inuit households in Nunavut do not have enough to eat. It also says 76 percent of Inuit preschoolers skip meals, while 60 percent have gone a day without eating. Alaska Dispatch
The Polar Bear in the Room. For most of its brief existence, the Arctic Council has been a gathering of, if not friends, then at least neighbors who can see the point of keeping on good terms. Now, though, with Russia, widely regarded as the Arctic's most powerful player, at odds with the seven other permanent members over its invasion of Ukraine, the organization is facing a challenge that Arctic-watchers say could spoil those good vibes. The Arctic Council is often touted for its ability to stay focused on practical matters of co-operation, but the group's current meeting in Yellowknife, Canada, is the first significant Arctic meeting since the crisis in Ukraine began. Its outcome, according to Robert Murray, a security and defense policy expert with the University of Alberta, will show how deep the willingness to co-operate runs. Arctic Journal
|
|
Legislative Action
No Arctic legislation was formally considered yesterday.
|
|
Future Events
Arctic Science Summit Week April 5-8, 2014 and Arctic Observing Summit, April 9-11 (Helsinki, Finland). ASSW is a gathering for Arctic research organizations. Any organization engaged in supporting and facilitating arctic research is welcome to participate. The ASSW meeting in 2014 will be arranged during April 5-8 in Helsinki Kumpula Campus, in the facilities of FMI and Physics Department of the University of Helsinki. Second circular here.
Alaska Policy Commission. May 6-7, 2014 (Anchorage, Alaska). The Alaska Arctic Policy Commission (AAPC) has more important work to do in 2014. The Commission will strive to gather public input and engage with Alaskan communities, state agencies, federal partners, and the international organizations working in the Arctic. In order to meet our goals AAPC will convene three in-person meetings over the course of 2014 and focus on implementation and final recommendations. The draft agenda is available here.
International Congress of Arctic Social Sciences, May 22-24, 2014. ICASS is held every three years, bringing together people from all over the world to share ideas about social science research in the Arctic. ICASS VII, held in Akureyri in June 2011, attracted 450 participants from 30 different countries. ICASS VIII's theme is Northern Sustainabilities. By using the plural, ICASS underscores both that 'sustainability' has social, cultural, economic, political and environmental dimensions, and that definitions of the concept vary. Yet, while debating specific definitions, most would agree that working toward sustainable ways of living in the North and on approaches to sustainable engagement with the North, are critical both to the North's and to the world's future. Community sustainability in the North, whether for small settlements or large urban conglomerations, requires new models of food and energy security, and of access to employment, health care and social and cultural services for residents.
Arctic in the Athropocene. June 23-July 2, 2014 (Potsdam, Germany). Under the overarching theme "Arctic in the Anthropocene", this two-week interdisciplinary and interactive event will be the first in a series of Potsdam Summer Schools to be held annually. The goal is to bring together early-career scientists and young professionals from research departments, governmental and non-governmental agencies and organizations, as well as the private sector from all around the world. Participants will deal with global challenges and address urgent questions on how to shape sustainable futures in the Arctic and beyond from a scientific and socioeconomic point of view.
Alaska Policy Commission. August 26-27, 2014 (Kotzebue-Nome, Alaska). The Alaska Arctic Policy Commission (AAPC) has more important work to do in 2014. The Commission will strive to gather public input and engage with Alaskan communities, state agencies, federal partners, and the international organizations working in the Arctic. In order to meet our goals AAPC will convene three in-person meetings over the course of 2014 and focus on implementation and final recommendations.
Arctic Circle, October 31-November 2, 2014 (Reyjavik, Iceland).
The Arctic Circle is nonprofit and nonpartisan. Organizations, forums, think tanks, corporations and public associations around the world are invited to hold meetings within the Arctic Circle platform to advance their own missions and the broader goal of increasing collaborative decision-making without surrendering their institutional independence. The Arctic Circle will organize sessions on a variety of issues, such as: Sea ice melt and extreme weather; Polar law: treaties and agreements; The role and rights of indigenous peoples; Security in the Arctic; Shipping and transportation infrastructure; The prospects and risks of oil and gas drilling; Clean energy achievements and sustainable development; Arctic resources; Business cooperation in the Arctic; The role of Asian and European countries in the Arctic; Greenland in the new Arctic; Fisheries and ecosystem management; The science of ice: global research cooperation; Arctic tourism; The ice-dependent world: the Arctic and the Himalayas.
Alaska Policy Commission. November 13-14, 2014 (Anchorage, Alaska). The Alaska Arctic Policy Commission (AAPC) has more important work to do in 2014. The Commission will strive to gather public input and engage with Alaskan communities, state agencies, federal partners, and the international organizations working in the Arctic. In order to meet our goals AAPC will convene three in-person meetings over the course of 2014 and focus on implementation and final recommendations.
The Arctic Biodiversity Congress, December 2-4, 2014. (Trondheim, Norway). The Arctic Biodiversity Congress will present and discuss the main scientific findings of the ABA; facilitate inter-disciplinary discussion, action and status updates on the policy recommendations in the ABA; provide scientific, policy, management, NGO, academia, Indigenous peoples and industry audiences the opportunity to collaborate around the themes of the ABA; advise CAFF on national and international implementation of the ABA recommendations and on the development of an ABA Implementation Plan for the Arctic Council; highlight the work of CAFF and the Arctic Council on circumpolar biodiversity conservation and sustainable development; and, contribute to mainstreaming of biodiversity and ecosystem services, ensuring that the recommendations of the ABA are implemented by not just governments, but many organizations and people across disciplines.
|
|
 
4350 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 510
Arlington, VA 22203, USA
External links in this publication, and on the USARC's World Wide Web site ( www.arctic.gov) do not constitute endorsement by the US Arctic Research Commission of external Web sites or the information, products or services contained therein. For other than authorized activities, the USARC does not exercise any editorial control over the information you may find at these locations. These links are provided consistent with the stated purpose of this newsletter and the USARC Web site.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
