IASC 25 years | Page 43

Actions, and Nonlinear Processes.” The Final Report1 cial scientists, an effort that has become an increas- contains the report of the Conference Chair (Oran ingly prominent feature of Arctic research with the Young of the Institute of Arctic Studies at Dart- passage of time. The report also emphasized the mouth) as well as reports of the Working Groups on: importance of nonlinear processes affecting Arctic (1) Effects of Increased Ultraviolet Radiation in the systems. At the time, concepts that have become Arctic; (2) Regional Cumulative Impacts—Barents influential recently, such as tipping elements and Sea; (3) Regional Cumulative Impacts—Bering Sea; tipping points, planetary boundaries, and the idea of (4) Mass Balance of Arctic Glaciers and Ice Sheets; the Anthropocene were not familiar. But there was (5) Terrestrial Ecosystems and Feedbacks on Cli- an awareness of the importance of rapid and often mate Change; (6) Arctic Marine/Coastal/Riverine turbulent change in what is now known as coupled Systems; (7) Disturbance and Recovery of Terres- socio-ecological systems. In an important sense, trial Ecosystems; (8) Dynamics of Arctic Populations ICARP I not only provided an opportunity for groups and Ecosystems; (9) Sustainable Use of Living Re- of scientists to design coordinated research initia- sources; and, (10) Environmental and Social Impacts tives, it also helped to move Arctic science onto the of Industrialization on the Arctic. cutting edge of the broader effort to increase our understanding of the dynamics of the Earth System. A few general observations on the work of ICARP I will help to put this effort in perspective. The title It is difficult to measure the success or the effec- of the final report captured several of the major tiveness of an event like ICARP I. But there are at themes running through the ICARP I process. Al- least three dimensions by which it is possible to as- though natural scientists dominated the work of sess the success of the conference. To begin with, IASC at the time, the conference drew attention ICARP I provided IASC with a programmatic identity. both to the role of anthropogenic drivers of large- In the wake of the conference, it was much easier scale developments in the region and to the im- to specify where IASC fit in the expanding collec- pacts of biophysical processes on the well-being of tion of efforts to foster cooperation in the Arctic. humans living in the Arctic. The result was an effort ICARP I also helped strengthen the links between to enhance collaboration between natural and so- Arctic science and global science. In the intervening Dartmouth College, Hanover NH, USA, venue of the first International Conference on Arctic Research Planning (ICARP). Photo: IASC Secretariat 42 00 02 IASC Initiatives