1st MEDIA ALERT: Major Polar Science Conference to be held in Oslo in June

WHAT:

• The biggest polar science meeting ever - to celebrate and publish early results from the International Polar Year 2007-2008 (IPY).
• The first opportunity after completion of IPY field activities for direct interaction among all the 160 IPY science cluster projects.
• Multidisciplinary and international conference. Participation from 60 nations.
• Main focus: Climate research - Highly relevant to COP 16 in Mexico in November. The conference will provide direct access to the leading polar scientists of the world, discussing first-hand evidence for change in Polar Regions.
• Altogether 2600 abstracts received, 40 sessions.
• Meet the next generation of polar scientists, more than 500 from around the world. Already one of the most successful conferences in terms of young scientist participation.
• Results and reports from one of the largest infusions of new ideas and new resources into science education.  
• IPY has emerged as the largest internationally coordinated planetary research effort in the past 50 years. Substantial new funding - more than US$ 400 million - was pledged for IPY.  The IPY Oslo Science Conference will demonstrate, strengthen, and extend IPY's remarkable accomplishments in science and outreach.

WHEN:

Tuesday, June 8 - Friday, June 12  2010

WHERE:

Norway Trade Fairs, Lillestrøm, Norway (15 min from Oslo City Centre)

WHO:

Steering committee and sponsoring institutions:

• Olav Orheim, RCN (chair) (Norwegian IPY Secretariat/Research Council of Norway)
• Eduard Sarukhanian, WMO (World Meteorological Organisation)
• Paul Cutler, ICSU (International Council for Science)
• Colin Summerhayes, SCAR (Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research)
• Volker Rachold, IASC (International Arctic Science Committee)
• David Carlson, IPY-IPO (International Polar Year)
• Jeronimo Lopez-Martinez, IPY Joint Committee (International Polar Year)
• Margarete Pauls, IPY EOC Sub Committee (International Polar Year)
• Susan Barr, RCN (Norwegian National Committee on Polar Research)
• Oystein Hov, RCN (Norwegian IPY Committee)
• Hugues Lantuit, APECS/IPY Youth (Association of Polar Early Career Scientists)
• Erik Gant (Arctic Council Indigenous Peoples Secretariat)

WHY:

The Polar Regions are an integral and rapidly changing part of the Earth system. Humankind's future environment, well-being and sustainable development require that we comprehensively understand and observe polar systems and processes and the changes that are already upon us. The message of IPY is loud and clear: what happens in the Polar Regions affects the rest of the world and concerns us all.

The International Polar Year 2007-2008 (IPY) was an intensive, internationally coordinated scientific research campaign in the Arctic and the Antarctic sponsored by the International

Council for Science (ICSU) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). In two action-packed years, IPY researchers observed exciting new phenomena, made fundamental scientific discoveries, developed new methods and tools, advanced interdisciplinary and international links in polar science and, most importantly, gained new understanding of the role of the Polar Regions in the total Earth system.

IPY 2007-2008 took place during a time when our planet was changing faster than ever in recorded human history, especially in the Polar Regions. Polar changes are critical because of various feedbacks involving the ocean, the cryosphere and/or the biosphere, each of which has the potential to accelerate the rates of global changes. The need for polar research has never been greater.

The IPY Oslo Science Conference will emphasize the breadth and global impact of polar research during IPY. It will highlight the extraordinary interdisciplinary and multinational efforts in research and in communication of research to the public. Participants will present early scientific results from all the IPY themes, particularly in the urgent areas of:

1. Linkages between polar regions and global systems
2. Past, present and future changes in polar regions
3. Polar ecosystems and biodiversity
4. Health and well-being of northern people and communities
5. New frontiers and new directions in polar research
6. Polar science education, outreach and communication

IPY resulted in a plethora of research activities and observations, all underpinned by a mutual appreciation of the value of shared logistical facilities, research capabilities and data.  The Conference will demonstrate the benefit of early and open data sharing and the prospects for future discoveries based on the data collected. A substantial effort will ensure that the conference provides attractive and fresh information for the media and for the public.