International Polar Year 2007–2008 - WMO

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IPY 20 07–20 08
as a research and outreach tool (no. 436), and new
GPS-based technologies (Druckenmiller et al., 2010;
Gearheard et al., 2010) to assist in community-based
monitoring and data collection. Many of these new
technologies that were first tested in IPY will become
core features of the research projects, services and
legacy initiatives of the post-IPY era (Chapters 3.8, 3.9,
5.2, 5.4).
Major events. Four events (in chronological order)
were critical in mobilizing the social science and
humanities field in IPY. The first public discussion of
some future IPY projects developed within the social
science disciplines (nos. 6, 123, 157, 210, and 227)
took place in April 2005 at the Nordic IPY seminar in
Ilulissat, Greenland. It was organized by the Greenland
National IPY Committee (Fig. 2.10-7) and included
more than 100 researchers and students from the
European (primarily Nordic) countries and also from
North America, Russia and China. For indigenous
participants, the key event was the symbolic launch
ceremony for the ‘Indigenous People’s IPY’ in the
Norwegian town of Kautokeino/Guovdageaidnu,
on 14 February 2007 organized jointly by the
Sámi University College/Nordic Sámi Institute,
International Centre for Reindeer Husbandry, the
Association of World Reindeer Herders and the local
municipality (Fig. 2.10-8). It brought together almost
300 representatives of indigenous peoples from all
Arctic nations, climate researchers, reindeer herders,
Sámi youth, as well as politicians and high-ranking
officials from Norway, Russia and other countries. The
Fig. 2.10-5.
Cybercartographic atlas
(Credit: Peter Pulsifer).
largest IPY-related event was the 6th International
Congress of Arctic Social Sciences (ICASS-VI) in Nuuk,
Greenland in August 2008 (Figs. 2.10-9, 2.10-10)
organized as an IPY project (no. 69, Poppel, 2009). It
brought together 370 participants from 22 nations
and featured plenary and thematic sessions on 12
IPY projects (nos. 100, 123, 157, 166, 167, 436, 462,
etc.). Lastly, the IPY ‘People Day’ on 24 September
2008 (www.ipy.org/index.php?/ipy/detail/people/)
(Chapter 4.2) was most instrumental in raising the
profile of social science and human research in IPY
and highlighted 41 projects, including associated
efforts in education and outreach (Fig. 2.10-11).
Participatory research. IPY has advanced the
participation of Arctic residents, including indigenous
peoples, in polar research at all levels: project
planning, data collection and management, analysis,
and outreach. For the first time, Arctic residents and
their organizations acted as partners and leaders in
several international projects (nos. 30, 46, 157, 166, 183,
187, 247, 335, 399, 410, 425 – Chapter 5.4) that involved
participants from many nations and disciplines. For
the organizations and communities involved, it was
an impressive contribution to local capacity building,
training and introduction of modern research
methods and technologies. The observations and
knowledge of Arctic residents was the key factor to
the success of IPY studies of sea ice (no. 166), wildlife
habitat and distribution (nos. 162, 164), sustainability
of local communities (nos. 157, 183) and economic
development (nos. 46, 310, 335). Partnerships built