SIDEBAR • Research Networking Activities Support Sustained Coordinated Observations of Arctic Change

Rapid Arctic environmental change requires improved collaboration across observing activities that support adaptation and response from local to pan-Arctic scales. The Research Networking Activities in Support of Sustained Coordinated Observations of Arctic Change (RNA CoOBs), in partnership with the Food Security Working Group (FSWG), supports an Indigenous-led project on food security. These efforts tie into the broader goals of the Sustaining Arctic Observing Networks (SAON) Roadmap for Arctic Observing and Data Systems (ROADS). SAON is an open initiative of the International Arctic Science Committee and the Arctic Council, uniting Arctic and non-Arctic countries and Indigenous, regional, and global organizations that support improved observing network development and integration. SAON has been advancing a partnership development framework under ROADS that adds value to different observing activities by providing common context and identifying shared goals. &nbsp;</p

A Framework for the Development, Design and Implementation of a Sustained Arctic Ocean Observing System

Rapid Arctic warming drives profound change in the marine environment that have significant socio-economic impacts within the Arctic and beyond, including climate and weather hazards, food security, transportation, infrastructure planning and resource extraction. These concerns drive efforts to understand and predict Arctic environmental change and motivate development of an Arctic Region Component of the Global Ocean Observing System (ARCGOOS) capable of collecting the broad, sustained observations needed to support these endeavors. This paper provides a roadmap for establishing the ARCGOOS. ARCGOOS development must be underpinned by a broadly-endorsed framework grounded in high-level policy drivers and the scientific and operational objectives that stem from them. This should be guided by a transparent, internationally accepted governance structure with recognized authority and organizational relationships with the national agencies that ultimately execute network plans. A governance model for ARCGOOS must guide selection of objectives, assess performance and fitness-to-purpose, and advocate for resources. A requirements-based framework for an ARCGOOS begins with the Societal Benefit Areas (SBAs) that underpin the system. SBAs motivate investments and define the system's science and operational objectives. Objectives can then be used to identify key observables and their scope. The domains of planning/policy, strategy, and tactics define scope ranging from decades and basins to focused observing with near real time data delivery. Patterns emerge when this analysis is integrated across an appropriate set of SBAs and science/operational objectives, identifying impactful variables and the scope of the measurements. When weighted for technological readiness and logistical feasibility, this can be used to select Essential ARCGOOS Variables, analogous to Essential Ocean Variables of the Global Ocean Observing System. The Arctic presents distinct needs and challenges, demanding novel observing strategies. Cost, traceability and ability to integrate region-specific knowledge have to be balanced, in an approach that builds on existing and new observing infrastructure. ARCGOOS should benefit from established data infrastructures following the Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reuseable Principles to ensure preservation and sharing of data and derived products. Linking to the Sustaining Arctic Observing Networks (SAON) process and involving Arctic stakeholders, for example through liaison with the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC), can help ensure success

Air Pollution in the Arctic: Climate, Environment and Societies (PACES)

International audienceAir pollutants in the Arctic have impacts on climate change, ecosystems, regional air quality, and human health. Rapid changes to and complex interactions within the Arctic environment due to global warming and socio-economic drivers mean that there is an urgent requirement to improve understanding of sources of Arctic air pollutants. Changes in atmospheric aerosol particles and tropospheric ozone have likely contributed substantially to rapid warming of the Arctic over recent decades. Increased accessibility due to reducing sea-ice is leading to increased local pollutant emissions from activities such as oil and gas extraction or shipping. Local Arctic communities are already being affected by sources of air pollution, which may continue to grow as economic and industrial development continues in the region. It is crucial to improve quantification of the relative contributions of different pollutant sources to provide a sound scientific basis for sustainable solutions and adaptive strategies. Deficiencies in predictive capability and a lack of observations at high latitudes present major challenges to advancing this understanding, and to making credible near- and long-term projections of Arctic environmental change.This poster will describe a new international initiative - air Pollution in the Arctic: Climate Environment and Societies (PACES) (see www.igacprojects.org/PACES), focused on building capacity for future research on Arctic air pollution. We will present the key scientific motivating factors behind the establishment of PACES, and our plans for addressing current uncertainties and deficiencies in our understanding of sources, processing and fate of air pollutants in the Arctic, and their impacts on human health, ecosystems and climate. These plans include development of strategies for targeted field observations addressing key processes, improving predictive capability, improving observational capacity in the Arctic, particularly in Russia, and in the vertical, and via establishment of collaborations between physical scientists, social scientists and local residents

Sustaining Arctic Observing Networks’ (SAON) Roadmap for Arctic Observing and Data Systems (ROADS)

Arctic observing and data systems have been widely recognized as critical infrastructures to support decision making and understanding across sectors in the Arctic and globally. Yet due to broad and persistent issues related to coordination, deployment infrastructure and technology gaps, the Arctic remains among the most poorly observed regions on the planet from the standpoint of conventional observing systems. Sustaining Arctic Observing Networks (SAON) was initiated in 2011 to address the persistent shortcomings in the coordination of Arctic observations that are maintained by its many national and organizational partners. SAON set forth a bold vision in its 2018 – 28 strategic plan to develop a roadmap for Arctic observing and data systems (ROADS) to specifically address a key gap in coordination efforts—the current lack of a systematic planning mechanism to develop and link observing and data system requirements and implementation strategies in the Arctic region. This coordination gap has hampered partnership development and investments toward improved observing and data systems. ROADS seeks to address this shortcoming through generating a systems-level view of observing requirements and implementation strategies across SAON’s many partners through its roadmap. A critical success factor for ROADS is equitable participation of Arctic Indigenous Peoples in the design and development process, starting at the process design stage to build needed equity. ROADS is both a comprehensive concept, building from a societal benefit assessment approach, and one that can proceed step-wise so that the most imperative Arctic observations—here described as shared Arctic variables (SAVs)—can be rapidly improved. SAVs will be identified through rigorous assessment at the beginning of the ROADS process, with an emphasis in that assessment on increasing shared benefit of proposed system improvements across a range of partnerships from local to global scales. The success of the ROADS process will ultimately be measured by the realization of concrete investments in and well-structured partnerships for the improved sustainment of Arctic observing and data systems in support of societal benefit. Les systèmes de données et d’observation de l’Arctique sont grandement considérés comme des infrastructures critiques en matière de prise de décisions et de compréhension dans les divers secteurs de l’Arctique et d’ailleurs dans le monde. Pourtant, en raison de problèmes importants et persistants en matière de coordination, d’infrastructure de déploiement et de retards technologiques, l’Arctique figure toujours parmi les régions les moins bien observées de la planète pour ce qui est des systèmes d’observation conventionnels. Les réseaux Sustaining Arctic Observing Networks (SAON) ont été mis en oeuvre en 2011 afin de combler les écarts persistants en matière de coordination des observations dans l’Arctique, observations effectuées par ses nombreux partenaires nationaux et organisationnels. Dans son plan stratégique de 2018 à 2028, SAON a dressé une vision audacieuse en vue de l’élaboration d’un plan pour les systèmes de données et d’observation de l’Arctique (ROADS) afin de combler un écart important en matière d’efforts de coordination, soit l’absence actuelle d’un mécanisme de planification systématique pour développer et interconnecter les exigences et les stratégies de mise en oeuvre des systèmes d’observation et de données dans la région de l’Arctique. Ce manque de coordination a nui à la conclusion de partenariats et d’investissements donnant lieu à des systèmes de données et d’observation améliorés. ROADS a comme objectif de combler cet écart grâce à la détermination des exigences d’observation et à des stratégies de mise en oeuvre au niveau des systèmes pour tous les partenaires de SAON grâce au plan établi. Un facteur de réussite critique pour ROADS consiste en la participation équitable des peuples autochtones de l’Arctique au processus de conception et de développement, en commençant par le stade de la conception afin d’obtenir la participation nécessaire. ROADS est à la fois un concept exhaustif qui s’appuie sur une démarche d’évaluation des avantages pour la société et un concept progressif permettant l’amélioration rapide des observations les plus impératives de l’Arctique, ici décrites comme les variables partagées de l’Arctique (SAV). Les SAV seront déterminées au moyen d’une évaluation rigoureuse au début du processus ROADS, l’accent de cette évaluation étant mis sur l’augmentation des avantages partagés découlant des améliorations proposées aux systèmes dans le cadre de divers partenariats, tant à l’échelle locale que mondiale. Au bout du compte, le succès remporté par le processus ROADS se mesurera en fonction d’investissements concrets dans des partenariats bien structurés en vue du soutien amélioré des systèmes de données et d’observation de l’Arctique pour favoriser les avantages qu’en tirera la société.

Sustaining Arctic Observing Networks’ (SAON) Roadmap for Arctic Observing and Data Systems (ROADS)

Arctic observing and data systems have been widely recognized as critical infrastructures to support decision making and understanding across sectors in the Arctic and globally. Yet due to broad and persistent issues related to coordination, deployment infrastructure and technology gaps, the Arctic remains among the most poorly observed regions on the planet from the standpoint of conventional observing systems. Sustaining Arctic Observing Networks (SAON) was initiated in 2011 to address the persistent shortcomings in the coordination of Arctic observations that are maintained by its many national and organizational partners. SAON set forth a bold vision in its 2018 – 28 strategic plan to develop a roadmap for Arctic observing and data systems (ROADS) to specifically address a key gap in coordination efforts—the current lack of a systematic planning mechanism to develop and link observing and data system requirements and implementation strategies in the Arctic region. This coordination gap has hampered partnership development and investments toward improved observing and data systems. ROADS seeks to address this shortcoming through generating a systems-level view of observing requirements and implementation strategies across SAON’s many partners through its roadmap. A critical success factor for ROADS is equitable participation of Arctic Indigenous Peoples in the design and development process, starting at the process design stage to build needed equity. ROADS is both a comprehensive concept, building from a societal benefit assessment approach, and one that can proceed step-wise so that the most imperative Arctic observations—here described as shared Arctic variables (SAVs)—can be rapidly improved. SAVs will be identified through rigorous assessment at the beginning of the ROADS process, with an emphasis in that assessment on increasing shared benefit of proposed system improvements across a range of partnerships from local to global scales. The success of the ROADS process will ultimately be measured by the realization of concrete investments in and well-structured partnerships for the improved sustainment of Arctic observing and data systems in support of societal benefit

Sustaining Arctic Observing Networks’ (SAON) Roadmap for Arctic Observing and Data Systems (ROADS)

Arctic observing and data systems have been widely recognized as critical infrastructures to support decision making and understanding across sectors in the Arctic and globally. Yet due to broad and persistent issues related to coordination, deployment infrastructure and technology gaps, the Arctic remains among the most poorly observed regions on the planet from the standpoint of conventional observing systems. Sustaining Arctic Observing Networks (SAON) was initiated in 2011 to address the persistent shortcomings in the coordination of Arctic observations that are maintained by its many national and organizational partners. SAON set forth a bold vision in its 2018–28 strategic plan to develop a roadmap for Arctic observing and data systems (ROADS) to specifically address a key gap in coordination efforts—the current lack of a systematic planning mechanism to develop and link observing and data system requirements and implementation strategies in the Arctic region. This coordination gap has hampered partnership development and investments toward improved observing and data systems. ROADS seeks to address this shortcoming through generating a systems-level view of observing requirements and implementation strategies across SAON’s many partners through its roadmap. A critical success factor for ROADS is equitable participation of Arctic Indigenous Peoples in the design and development process, starting at the process design stage to build needed equity. ROADS is both a comprehensive concept, building from a societal benefit assessment approach, and one that can proceed step-wise so that the most imperative Arctic observations—here described as shared Arctic variables (SAVs)—can be rapidly improved. SAVs will be identified through rigorous assessment at the beginning of the ROADS process, with an emphasis in that assessment on increasing shared benefit of proposed system improvements across a range of partnerships from local to global scales. The success of the ROADS process will ultimately be measured by the realization of concrete investments in and well-structured partnerships for the improved sustainment of Arctic observing and data systems in support of societal benefit

The Arctic

International audienc