Approved for Scoping: 2025

Lead BF Members: Research Council of Norway (RCN) and Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)

Estimated launch timeframe: 2027

Brief Summary:

Originally proposed as Arctic 3, this Collaborative Research Action (CRA) has expanded its scope to include Antarctica, reflecting a recurring priority emerging from the ongoing global scoping and co-design process. This broader scope informs the anticipated transition to the name Polar CRA.

Changes in sea-ice extent, ocean currents, water temperature, permafrost, and marine and terrestrial ecosystems will have major implications for global, local and regional communities. Due to the very rapid changes in the polar regions and their implications for the global climate and weather patterns through complex interconnected processes, it is necessary to initiate polar research which can help close the knowledge gaps.

This CRA aims at closing some of the knowledge gaps identified during the 2022–2026 process of the Fourth International Conference on Arctic Research Planning (ICARP IV), alongside priorities emerging from the ongoing scoping process, including those related to Antarctica. Acknowledging the key role, rights and knowledge of Indigenous Peoples in the Arctic, the CRA development will involve their active participation along with local communities and scientists in a transdisciplinary approach.

The CRA will contribute to the Fifth International Polar Year (IPY-5) in 2032–2033 through research on key factors for ecosystem changes, co-production of knowledge involving Indigenous Peoples, local communities and different research disciplines, and informed governance. The CRA is also endorsed by the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030). Projects addressing ocean-related priorities will therefore contribute to the Ocean Decade.

The overall focus of the CRA is the local, regional and global socio-economic implications and consequences of polar change. Building on the original Arctic proposal, areas for exploration include connections between polar change and mid-latitude weather extremes; changes in terrestrial and marine ecosystems (e.g. permafrost, geohazards, wildfires, land-use changes and erosion); regional governance in the light of global governance and security; environmental and cultural implications of economic development; and national and international law, politics and stewardship related to polar change. These areas are being further developed through the co-design process, taking into account the distinct contexts of the Arctic and Antarctica.

Please fill out the Polar CRA Interest Form here to receive updates on the call, upcoming scoping events and opportunities to participate and continue contributing to its co-design.

Disclosure

Scope under development: This description reflects the evolving scope of the CRA currently under development, which now includes both the Arctic and Antarctica. The thematic focus and final call text continue to be co-designed through global scoping activities with academic and societal partners, including Indigenous Peoples and knowledge holders, local communities, research institutions, policymakers, and funding organizations. The final call may differ from the original proposed themes in line with this consultation process.

Upcoming Activities

• Arctic Circle Assembly, Reykjavik, Iceland (8-10 October 2026)

Past Activities

• Standing Committee on Indigenous Involvement (SCII) of the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC), Aarhus, Denmark (25 March 2026)
• Arctic Science Funders Forum, Aarhus, Denmark (26 March 2026)
• Danish Kingdom’s Arctic Workshop: Strengthening Arctic Research Collaboration in the Danish Kingdom, Aarhus, Denmark (26 March 2026)
• Co-Design Dialogue: Aligning Science, Policy and Funding Priorities for the Arctic 3 CRA (Online, 27 May 2026). Two sessions were held to accommodate global participation across time zones: one for the Asia-Pacific region and one for participants from the Americas, Europe, and Africa.
• UArctic Congress, Faroe Islands (27-29 May 2026)
• Sustainability Research and Innovation Congress (SRI), Africa Regional Conference, Cape Town, South Africa (22-26 June 2026)
• Global Conference of the International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (IDSSD), Paris, France (15-17 July 2026)
• CBD Seventh Meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation (SBI-7, Side Event), Nairobi, Kenya (4-12 August 2026)
• SCAR Open Science Conference, Oslo, Norway (8-19 August 2026)
• 6th Ocean Decade Foundations Dialogue, Stockholm, Sweden (7-9 September 2026)