International Arctic Science Committee

The International Arctic Science Committee encourages and facilitates cooperation in all aspects of Arctic research, in all countries engaged in Arctic research and in all areas of the Arctic region, promoting and supporting leading-edge multi-disciplinary research in order to foster a greater scientific understanding of the Arctic region and its role in the Earth system.

Courtesy of iasc.info

Courtesy of iasc.info

The International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) is a non-governmental, international scientific organization, founded in 1990 by representatives of national scientific organizations and funding agencies of the eight Arctic countries. Over the past 25 years, IASC has evolved into the leading international science organization of the North and its membership today includes 23 countries, including 15 non-Arctic countries. 

The Founding Articles committed IASC to pursue a mission of encouraging and facilitating cooperation in all aspects of Arctic research, in all countries engaged in Arctic research and in all areas of the Arctic region. IASC promotes and supports leading-edge multi-disciplinary research in order to foster a greater scientific understanding of the Arctic region and its role in the Earth system. Through its members, IASC is uniquely placed to undertake these tasks. As an accredited observer on the Arctic Council, IASC is also in the position to introduce the outcome of its science planning efforts into the Arctic´s main political body and to liaise with the Arctic Council Permanent Participants. 

IASC has organized three forward-looking conferences focused on international and interdisciplinary perspectives for advancing Arctic research cooperation and applications of Arctic knowledge. The third International Conference on Arctic Research Planning (ICARP III) recently concluded with a final report “Integrating Arctic Research – A Roadmap for the Future” (http://icarp.iasc.info), highlighting three overarching research priorities: 

  1. The Role of the Arctic in the Global System;
  2. Observing and Predicting Future Climate Dynamics and Ecosystem Responses;
  3. Understanding the Vulnerability and Resilience of Arctic Environments and Societies and Supporting Sustainable Development.  

IIASA has been a partner organization in the ICARP III process and the Arctic Future Initiative will be an important project to address these priorities.


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Last edited: 16 May 2019

iasc

INTERNATIONAL ARCTIC SCIENCE COMMITTEE

International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)
Schlossplatz 1, A-2361 Laxenburg, Austria
Phone: (+43 2236) 807 0 Fax:(+43 2236) 71 313