IASC 25 years | Page 54

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)