After a 24-month long planning process involv-
ing agencies. With the purpose of taking the next
ing more than 140 Arctic scientists, residents and
and important step—i.e., implementing the science
policy makers, ICARP II was held 10-12 November
plans—IASC, in cooperation with several organiza-
2005 in Copenhagen, Denmark. The theme of the
tions, arranged an ICARP II follow-up workshop in
conference was “The Arctic System in a Chang-
late 2006, bringing together key scientists from the
ing World” and it brought together more than 450
ICARP II Working Groups and potential sponsoring
Arctic residents, senior and young scholars, policy
organizations.
experts, and science and land managers to discuss
and finalize the working group efforts to formulate
The workshop brought together two to three indi-
physical, biological, and social science plans and im-
viduals from each ICARP II Working Group (at least
plementation strategies.
one was an early career scientist) and representatives of ICARP II sponsor organizations. Both Arctic
The conference pointed to two very interesting
organizations that had been involved in the ICARP II
outcomes. First, it highlighted that there was a
process and global organizations interested in con-
“paradigm shift to a holistic and multidimensional
tributing to its implementation were present.
1
perspective in the Arctic. This holistic perspective
integrally included the human dimension, Indige-
The main objective of the follow-up workshop was
nous insights, and a more complete integration of
to identify several focused and manageable proj-
Arctic processes in the earth system.” It became
ects that could enjoy the support of sponsoring or-
clear during the conference that it was no longer
ganizations and to develop an implementation plan
easy to separate the Arctic system into convention-
for each of these projects.
al disciplines. The linkages between systems and to
the global system could no longer be suppressed or
ignored. Secondly, issues of data management, interoperability and dissemination, as well as issues
related to the need for improved and expanded infrastructure were repeatedly raised. There was an
urgent call for the research community to address
these issues, particularly in light of the IPY, which at
that point was less than two years away.
ICARP II culminated in a document entitled “Arctic
Research: A Global Responsibility” summarizing the
ICARP II process, detailing the overarching research
themes derived from the conference and discussing
emerging issues. All twelve science plans are included in the report.2 The report played a pivotal role in
identifying many significant activities and programs
that would be undertaken during IPY and in subsequent years. It will be an important contribution to
the third ICARP planned for 2015 in Tokyo.
IASC Post ICARP II Actions
The ultimate goal of the ICARP II process was to
create new knowledge, and initiate and implement
forward-looking science plans attractive to fund-
53
02 IASC Initiatives
Cover: An Overview of the Second International Conference
On Arctic Research Planning (ICARP II)