Arctic Passion
In the Arctic the human-induced planetary warming already leads to changes that are faster here than anywhere else on our planet. They have environmental, societal, and economic impacts, locally and due to the Arctic’s role in the global climate system, far beyond the Arctic proper. This highlights the need for a sustained and accessible observing system that is tuned to the diverse needs of users, ranging from local inhabitants to academia through to industry and decision-makers.
The key motivation behind Arctic PASSION is the co-creation and implementation of such a coherent, integrated Arctic observing system. We aim to overcome known flaws in the present observing system. This is meant to be done by refining its operability, improving, and extending pan-Arctic scientific and community-based monitoring and the integration with Indigenous and Local knowledge. It also encompasses streamlining the access and interoperability of Arctic Data systems and services, and ensuring the economic viability and sustainability of the observing system for the future.
The scientific, societal, and economic challenges associated with the changing Arctic are immense. Free and open access to the best-available information and services empowers communities, economy, governments, and others to develop evidence-based economic, policy, investment, management, and societal decisions. As the Arctic continues to change, the demand for improved access to observational data streams and services that are more reliable and more diverse, will continue. Unrestricted access to the latest environmental observations strengthens the decisions we make for a safe, sustainable, and prosperous Arctic.
Although there have been several advances in integrating Arctic observations in recent years, the various components of current Arctic observation systems seem fragmented, and the data are, in part, difficult to access and often not tailored to the needs of the users or stakeholders. Arctic PASSION aims to improve the situation by co-creating an integrated Arctic Observing System of systems via international collaboration, including Indigenous and local communities, that can continuously provide unrestricted, high quality, science-based Earth observation information tuned to address the urgent needs of people living in the Arctic and have relevance to European and global society.
The future observing system shall allow for the monitoring of ongoing environmental changes, reduce uncertainly in predicting future system changes, support risk assessment, and inform and guide mitigation and adaptation measures, and to support sustainable development in the Arctic and elsewhere.
Arctic PASSION lasts from 2021 to 2025 with more than 40 partner organisations and Indigenous communities from 18 countries working together.
The Alfred Wegener Institute coordinates the project, Michael Karcher (Sea Ice Physics section) is the scientific lead of the project.
