Report on the Arctic Frontiers 2025
Reported by Hiroyuki ENOMOTO (NIPR)
At the Arctic Frontiers 2025, science sessions, Big Picture sessions to discuss policies and international activities, regional and observational themes, and side events for the International Polar Year (IPY) were held. In addition, the Arctic Science Funders Forum (ASFF) meeting proposed by the 2nd Arctic Science Ministerial (ASM2) was held, and each country reported on its current situation.
On the first day of the conference, a session on the IPY5 was held for a total of four and a half hours, and the history of the IPY, current concepts and preparations, and future plans of each country were introduced. Each country introduced its research plans related to the IPY5, and Norway, the host country, introduced that it is working toward the start of a 10-year project called Arctic Ocean 2050 in January 2026.
In the previous IPY, problems were also pointed out in the coordination of research activities and data sharing, and the Sustaining Arctic Observing Networks (SAON) was established after the IPY to consider these issues. In addition, the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS) and the Polar Educators International (PEI) have begun to work to encourage young researchers and educate them and have become internationally recognized organizations. The IPY Secretariat has requested that we submit opinions to the IPY Planning Group’s discussions, participate in the IPY Implementation Committee and Task Group, and cooperate with the IPY Secretariat.
The IPY discussion meetings at the Arctic Frontiers have been held twice so far as closed meetings, mainly in the EU, but this time, Asian countries were also invited. It seems that discussions will continue next year.