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NIPR contributed to the 3rd Arctic Science Ministerial (ASM3), which was held in Tokyo, Japan, for the first time in Asia.

August 10, 2021

ASM3 participants（Credit:ASM3 Organizing Committee)

Left: HAGIUDA Koichi, Minister of Education, Culture, Sport, Science and Technology (Japan).
Right: Lilja Alfreðsdóttir, Minister of Education, Science and Culture (Iceland)
(Credit:ASM3 Organizing Committee)

The 3rd Arctic Science Ministerial (ASM3) was co-hosted by Japan and Iceland and took place in Tokyo on 8 and 9 May 2021 for the first time in Asia. The meeting was co-chaired by Koichi Hagiuda, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (Japan), and Lilja Alfreðsdóttir, Minister of Education, Science and Culture (Iceland).

“Knowledge for a Sustainable Arctic” was the overarching theme for ASM3 and included four sub-themes under the titles: Observe, Understand, Respond, Strengthen. The ASM3 organizers and Science Advisory Board conducted a robust and inclusive science process to provide a strong foundation for all the final outcomes of the ASM3. These outcomes create useful tools for cooperation, deepen the understanding of both the achievements and challenges that lay ahead, and provide a strong framework for taking urgent action.

The ASM3 Science process followed the structure of the previous Ministerials by soliciting theme-based project updates and new projects from participating countries, Indigenous Peoples’ organizations, and international organizations engaged in Arctic science and education, while also attempting to create a more formal consultation process with the wider research community through other international fora and through the ASM3 Webinar Series.

From Japan, National Institute of Polar Research (NIPR) mainly made the following efforts.

  • Hiroyuki Enomoto, Vice Director of NIPR, and Embla Eir Oddsdóttir, Director, Icelandic Arctic Cooperation Network co-chaired the Science Advisory Board (SAB).
  • Two researchers from NIPR participated in the ASM3 Organizing Committee (OC), organized by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan and the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture of Iceland. The ASM3 OC worked for all preparatory work for the Ministerial, including the collection and integration of the information from participating countries and organizations, the planning of the Webinar Series as a joint effort with the European Polar Board, and the production of the ASM3 report, which is a major outcome of ASM3.
  • As one of the contributions from the research community, NIPR took the lead to integrate the community inputs through the 6th International Symposium on Arctic Research (ISAR-6) to the ASM3. A summary statement was included in the ASM3 Report, as well as the statements from the Arctic Observing Summit 2020 and the ASM3 Research Community Workshop.
  • The Arctic Data Archive System (ADS) of NIPR created the ASM3 Project Database in collaboration with the ASM3 OC. The database includes all submitted information from the participating countries on Arctic observing and research since ASM2. The database was presented in ASM3 and released publicly.
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