Heroic Efforts - The Changing Arctic Environment: The Arctic Messenger - page 82

isations such as AMAP now routinely invite representatives of APECS to contribute to and
participate in their meetings.
The scientific literature is still producing new insights into polar processes based on
thefourthIPY-fiveyearsafter thecompletion oftheprogramme. Oncethescientific com-
munity had begun to digest the information gleaned from the 2007-2008 IPY, thoughts
began to turn towards wondering how a much longer mobilization of scientific effort and
logistics could be arranged and coordinated. The first idea to come forward was called the
International Polar Decade. This essentially consisted of a proposal to run a 10-year-long
IPY.However,thisconceptwasprobablyneitherpracticalnorsustainableanddidnotenjoy
a great deal of support from the powerful agencies that fund major international research
activities. A new idea has since emerged, known as the International Polar Initiative. This
seeks to build on the IPY's success of creating a framework to identify a set of key science
issues for polar regions and of coordinating scientific and infrastructural resources to ap-
ply to these issues. It envisages that at least initially, the activities will be built on existing
resources. An implementation plan would be developed by a number of new bodies and
working groups. The plan would guide research and studies on the identified issues until
the advent of the next IPY (suggested for 2032-2033). It remains to be seen whether this
idea sees the light of day. Key factors will probably include whether existing national and
international Arctic science and monitoring programmes, their coordinating organisations
and their funding mechanisms believe the new proposal adds significant benefits to exist-
ing arrangements.
Manydifferentorganisationshaveandcontinuetoorganiseheroiceffortstostudyspe-
cific science issues in the Arctic but with a smaller scope than the 2007-2008 IPY. Here is
a glimpse of one such organisation. The Arctic Ocean Science Board was set up in 1984,
with participation from research and government institutions in 16 countries. Its accom-
plishments have included:

· The Greenland Sea Project that was co-sponsored by the International Council for

the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), 1987-1993. Coordinated national surveys in-