ISAR-6 / Sixth International Symposium on Arctic Research / 第6回国際北極研究シンポジウム

Session Information

Regular Session

(R1) Atmosphere

Main convener: Masakazu Yoshimori; Co-convener: Daisuke Goto

(R2) Ocean and Sea Ice

Main convener: Eiji Watanabe; Co-conveners: Yasushi Fukamachi, Hajo Eicken

(R3) Rivers, Lakes, Permafrost and Snow Cover

Main convener: Kazuyuki Saito; Co-conveners: Masahiro Hori, Kazuyoshi Suzuki

(R4) Ice Sheets, Glaciers and Ice Cores

Main convener: Masashi Niwano; Co-conveners: Teruo Aoki, Yoshinori Iizuka

(R5) Terrestrial Ecosystems

*Subsumed under (S6)

(R6) Marine Ecosystems

*Subsumed under (S4)

(R7) Geospace

Main convener: Yasunobu Ogawa; Co-conveners: Ryuho Kataoka, Yoshizumi Miyoshi, Takuo Tsuda, Takuji Nakamura

This session is devoted to a forum to discuss recent progress on geospace in the Arctic region, such as ground-based/space-borne observations, theories and modeling. Geospace is the atmosphere/space near the earth, including middle atmosphere, upper atmosphere, thermosphere, ionosphere and magnetosphere. In the Arctic region, human lives and social structures are sensitively affected by the change of geospace disturbed by solar activities. Recent studies have indicated that the geospace in the Arctic region is not only linked by magnetic field lines but also by atmospheric dynamical processes including circulation and waves, and further affect the global atmosphere. Contributions from international collaborative projects/facilities (e.g., EISCAT_3D and Arase (ERG)) are highly encouraged.

(R8) Laws, Politics and Economy

*Subsumed under (S8)

(R9) Language, Culture and Health

Main convener: Nobuhiro Kishigami; Co-conveners: Megumi Kurebito, Lynn Zender

This is a general session of Arctic Social Sciences and Humanities, in which we can exchange information and ideas of language, cultural, social, environmental and health issues related to Indigenous and non-Indigenous people living in Arctic regions across the world. Any academic papers on the related topics are welcome.

(R10) Engineering for Sustainable Development

Main convener: Hajime Yamaguchi; Co-convener: Genki Sagawa

Special Sessions

(S1) Challenges for the Fast Transitions of Atmosphere, Sea Ice and Ocean in the Arctic Systems

Main conveners: Jun Inoue; Yusuke Kawaguchi, Daiki Nomura

Rapid changes in the Arctic lead to an urgent need for reliable information about the state and evolution in the Arctic climate system. This requires more observations and improved modeling techniques over various spatiotemporal scales, and across a wide variety of disciplines. To understand the uncertainty in the state of the `New Arctic’, this session focuses on predictability of the transitioning climate systems, extreme events in the fields of atmosphere, sea ice, and ocean. It is also desired reports of sustainable observing networks from both the observations and numerical models.
The Year Of Polar Prediction (YOPP) from mid-2017 to mid-2019 was one of the key elements of the WMO Polar Prediction Project (PPP). After the YOPP, the Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC) which is the first year-around observation of the coupled `new Arctic’ climate system has been started under the umbrella of IASC.
In this session, we call presentations focusing on operational and extra observations over the Arctic and beyond, and predictability studies related to YOPP, MOSAiC and other international projects. This session also covers process studies from air-sea-ice interactions to bio-geochemistry/ecosystem, and logistical issues to coordinate the Arctic observing networks. The latest observational campaigns and coordination of the modeling activities would be relevant to understand the predictabilities of extreme weather events, sea-ice extent/thickness, and other fields during YOPP/MOSAiC. Through this session, we would like to share the pieces of knowledge about how the Arctic observation and modeling projects are advantageous for our community and beyond.

(S2) Weather and Climate in the Arctic Region: Its Predictability and Remote Connection

Main convener: Akio Yamagami; Co-conveners: Hiroyasu Hasumi, Mio Matsueda

The Arctic environment is significant for energy and water budget on the Earth, and its variability and change have direct socio-economic impacts. However, most of the numerical models are struggling to predict the various factors in the Arctic environment, such as atmosphere, ocean, and sea ice, accurately. The difficulties in predicting these factors come from their interaction in the Arctic and remote connection between their variability in the Arctic and processes in extra-Arctic regions.
This session aims to deepen our knowledge about the Arctic processes and further connection between the atmospheric, oceanic and cryosphere research communities.

  • What are the sources of predictability of Arctic atmosphere, ocean, and sea ice on short-range to multi-decadal timescales?
  • How do the Arctic atmosphere, ocean, and sea ice interact with one another on short- to multi-decadal timescales?
  • How do the Arctic environments link with variabilities in low- and mid-latitudes?
  • How do the various factors in the Arctic environments respond to the climate changes on multi-decadal timescales?

We welcome presentations which promote a better understanding of the mechanisms that control various factors in the Arctic on short- to multi-decadal timescales and climate change over the Arctic. We look forward to studies using remote sensing data, field observations, theory and numerical models encompassing Arctic weather and climate projections, reanalyses and forecast systems.

(S3) Synoptic Arctic Survey – An Ocean Research Program for the Future

Main convener: Shigeto Nishino; Co-conveners: Are Olsen, Øyvind Paasche, Michiyo Yamamoto-Kawai, Sung-Ho Kang, Jianfeng He, Carin Ashjian, Jacqueline Grebmeier, Kumiko Azetsu-Scott, William Williams

Since spatial and temporal variability is inherently large in the Arctic Ocean, we urgently need baseline data for the Arctic Ocean as a whole to prepare for the further changes to come. Critically needed understandings would be advanced from a coordinated multi-ship, multi-nation pan-Arctic ship-based sampling campaign, based on shared state-of-the-art protocols for data collections and sharing and carefully planned ship tracks during the same period. This could allow for a synoptic view of the totality of hydrographic and ecosystem changes taking place in the Arctic Ocean and facilitate advancing model development using integrated data sets to predict the future state of the Arctic. To obtain such baseline data, we have planned a pan-Arctic research program, the Synoptic Arctic Survey (SAS), with a goal of conducting it in 2020 and 2021.
In this session, we will discuss confirmed and developing cruise plans and cross-disciplinary scientific issues in preparation for the 2020/2021 SAS cruises. We encourage presentations that include the present understandings and/or expected results for the key parameters in the SAS regions, including the Pacific Arctic region (northern Bering, Chukchi, Beaufort seas, and Canada Basin) and high Arctic regions. Examples of topics include hydrography and circulation, carbon uptake and ocean acidification, tracer distribution and pollution, and organismal and ecosystem functioning and productivity. Topics on technical issues such as measurements and data archives/synthesis are also welcome.

(S4) Integration of Oceanographic and Marine Ecological Research in the Pacific Arctic Region and the Northern Bering Sea

Main convener: Amane Fujiwara; Co-conveners: Toru Hirawake, Takafumi Hirata, Kohei Mizobata, Yutaka Watanuki, Akinori Takahashi

Recent changes in global climate has made Arctic Ocean closer to human socio-economical activities. It is crucial to comprehend and share the natural scientific knowledges for the sustainable use of the future Arctic Ocean.
This session aims at sharing and integrating the knowledge of trans-field oceanographic studies to improve our understanding of on-going environmental changes and their impacts on biogeochemical cycles and marine ecosystem in the Pacific Arctic Region. We encourage contributions from various scientific aspects focusing on physical, chemical, and biological oceanographic topics based on any kind of approaches; field-observation, experimental studies, remote sensing, numerical-modeling and also combination of those approaches with various temporal (incidental phenomena to long-term trend) and spatial scales (regional to pan-Arctic scales including sub-Arctic Seas). Particularly, recent unusual events in the Northern Bering Sea (NBS) as a consequence of sea ice reduction, warming and other environmental changes are topical.
This session also provides an opportunity to present and share scientific results and information from other Arctic regions.

(S5) Glacier-ocean Interactions and Their Impact on Arctic Marine Ecosystem​

Main convener: Jon Ove Hagen; Co-conveners: Shin Sugiyama, Thorben Dunse

The session covers the connections between glacier dynamics and oceans in tidewater glaciers. This covers the impacts/interactions between glacier runoff, glacier dynamics and the marine ecosystem. Thus, the session aims at cross-cutting activities that cover presentations on the tidewater glacial impacts on the ocean/fjord circulation and on the marine ecosystems, biogeochemistry of water masses and primary production in glacial fjords.

  • How do the amount, timing and location of glacial-derived freshwater vary and affect the physical oceanography and geochemistry of fjord/ocean water masses ?
  • What is the response of tidewater-glacier dynamics and frontal ablation (iceberg calving and submarine melting) to climatic warming?
  • What do we know about the chemical composition of glacial runoff?
  • How do pro-glacial marine ecosystems respond to changes in freshwater discharge from glaciers?
  • Where and when does glacial freshwater promote and limit primary production (nutrient supply);
  • What is the potential impact of climate-induced glacier changes (e.g. meltwater/sediment flux, calving rate, glacier retreat) on marine environments (e.g. plankton, benthos, fish, seabirds and marine mammals)

This session is organized as a part of an IASC Cross-Cutting Activity.

(S6) Terrestrial Ecosystems, Hydrology, and Biogeochemistry

Main convener: Hideki Kobayashi; Co-conveners: Tetsuya Hiyama, Hotaek Park, Tonghua Wu, Yongwon Kim, Daqing Yang

Arctic and boreal regions comprise the largest ecosystems in the world. Recent unprecedented warming and extreme weathers are accelerating changes of ecosystem patterns and diversities in the region. High-latitude hydrology and biogeochemistry are also key disciplines with strong interactions across rainfall, snow, ice, vegetation, wildfire and permafrost in the region. We invite various aspects of studies in terrestrial ecology, hydrology and biogeochemistry from field measurements, remote sensing, data analysis and numerical modeling. We also invite studies elucidating the interactions among atmosphere, land, and ocean fields. Through this session, we aim to share the key scientific messages and highlight emergent research challenges in the context of high-latitude phenomena from both reflective and visioning perspectives.

(S7) Impact of Changing Arctic Natural Environment on Human Societies

Main convener: Shin Sugiyama; Co-conveners: Hiroki Takakura, Shinichiro Tabata

Natural environment in the Arctic is rapidly changing under the warming climate. The changes in the Arctic give local and global impacts on human societies. For example, thawing permafrost in Siberia affects vegetation, which has a serious influence on the land use by indigenous peoples. In Greenland, local societies are under threat of flooding due to increasing amount of meltwater runoff from glaciers. The changes in the Arctic affect societies in other regions as well. Sea ice reduction in the Arctic Ocean is suspected as the driver of climate change in the middle latitude. Sea ice condition is a great concern also for the economic demands of transportation through the Northern Sea Route as well as mineral resource mining. This special session invites natural and social scientists to present studies on relationships between Arctic environmental changes and human societies. Crossing the disciplinary knowledge and experiences in fields, we discuss how we can contribute to sustainable future in the Arctic.

(S8) Regulating the Arctic Commons. Bridging Interests in Arctic Ocean Use, Legal
Frameworks and Institutions

Main convener: Nikolas Sellheim; Co-convener: Akiho Shibata

This session accommodates abstracts that will fit the description below, but also accepts those submitted for the Regular Session (R8) on Laws, Politics and Economy, which will address social science approaches to the Arctic issues generally.
The adoption of the Central Arctic Ocean Fisheries Agreement marks an important stepping stone towards the protection of Arctic marine living resources. The five Arctic Ocean littoral states, the European Union, Japan, China, Iceland and South Korea have demonstrated how Arctic and non-Arctic interests intersect in regard to the conservation and sustainable use of fish species.
The session will examine the normative role the negotiation process of the CAOF may play for international policy- and law-making. The diverging interests of states in the Arctic, paired with increasing marine traffic as well as different understandings of (il)legitimate resource use may provide for a landscape of disagreement. The ongoing quarrels in the International Whaling Commission (IWC) and ultimately Japan's withdrawal therefrom stand exemplary in this regard.
In this session we will therefore consider how, from a legal perspective, differences in resource perception, differences in conservation approaches and differences in economic interests can be overcome in different fora relevant for the Arctic, taking the lessons learnt form the CAOF as a point of departure. Going beyond this, the session discusses how regimes on ocean use in the Arctic can cooperate in a way that benefits all: how can Arctic people(s), states and actors as well as their non-Arctic counterparts make use of the existing regimes in a best possible manner without causing conflict and disagreement?
The session conveners thus invite presentations on the following topical issues:

  • Regime interplay in the Arctic
  • Regimes on marine living and non-living resources in the Arctic
  • Sustainable utilisation of marine living and non-living resources
  • Shipping regimes
  • The law of the sea
  • International organisations and institutions in the Arctic

The session is to be discussion-based. We therefore ask for 10-minute presentations with short presentation-based discussions afterwards. The primary segment of the session will consist of a panel discussion between the speakers with substantive engagement of the audience.

(S9) The Arctic Council: Past, Present and Future

Main convener: Osamu Inagaki; Co-convener: Sakiko Hataya

Since its establishment as a high level forum in 1996, the Arctic states have been strengthening the Arctic Council (AC) in order for it to adapt to the changing Arctic. AC has played increasingly important functions: not only scientific assessment or policy-shaping functions but also treaty-making and even treaty-implementing functions. Thus, AC is now recognized as an important forum by non-Arctic states including Japan as well. On the other hand, recently there has appeared to be disharmony among the Arctic states as exemplified by the failure to produce a minitesterial declaratiotion at Rovaniemi meeting (May 2019) for the first time in AC's history.

Against this background, this session seeks to examine its past legacies, the current agendas and its future challenges. The specific topics to be addressed in this session may include:

  • AC's role in Arctic governance: its achievements and future challenges;
  • Working Groups in the AC;
  • AC's external relationships;
  • Agreements negotiated under auspices of the Arctic Council;
  • Permanent Participants in AC: past, present and future;
  • The role of observers in AC: past, present and future;
  • Japan's contribution to the Arctic Council and its challenge;
  • Achievements under Finnish Chairmanship (2017-19) and challenges under Icelandic Chairmanship (2019-21);
  • The failure to produce ministerial declaration at Rovaniemi meeting and its future influnence.

(S10) Global Competition among Great Powers and International Politics in the Arctic

Main convener: Fujio Ohnishi; Co-conveners: Aki Tonami, Toshitaka Takeuchi, Minori Takahashi

Is the Arctic region immune from the heighted tensions stemming from the global competition among great powers such as U.S., China and Russia? Confrontation between Russia and the West, particularly with Europe, overshadows the security situations of northern Europe and the Arctic. For example, in the North Atlantic Ocean and Barents Sea, both sides are flexing naval forces to protect maritime chokepoints. China's Belt and Road Initiative, one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects ever conceived, has also reached the Arctic as the ‘Ice Silk Road'. For many, this project represents a Trojan horse for China-led regional development, military expansion, and Beijing-controlled institutions. The US has made it clear that it would counter Russian and Chinese influence on every front, including Arctic affairs. In order to visualize the linkages between global affairs and Arctic international politics, this session invites papers that ask the following questions:

  • Does the Arctic region matter in the context of a global competition between the U.S., Russia and China? If so, how?
  • How do each of these great powers prioritise the Arctic in the context of their global/regional foreign and security policy?
  • What do these three states do in the Arctic in reality?
  • How does the great power competition influence the cooperative relations in the Arctic in the coming years?
  • Which issues will be the hotspots, where the interests of these three powers collide?

(S11) Global Relevance of Arctic Policies & Strategies, and Observation & Modelling in the Arctic-Boreal Domain – discussion, assessment, analysis and brainstorming

Main convener: Lassi Heininen; Co-conveners: Matthias Finger, Hanna Lappalainen

This is a special session on global and regional relevance and impacts of Arctic policies, strategies, declarations, programs and agendas, as well as observation, modelling and assessment in the Arctic-Boreal Domain. The main aim is first, to examine and analyze on the one hand, the contents of national, regional and other Arctic policies of the Arctic states, Arctic Indigenous peoples' organizations, and Arctic Council observer countries, and on the other hand, the impacts of observation, modelling and assessment in the Arctic-Boreal Domain. As well as based on the 'Agent-based modelling' define major actors and their interests behind these policies and activities. Second, to discuss, assess and analyze how relevant these policies and activities are global, in particular concerning critical issues, such as governance, environmental protection and climate change. Final, to brainstorm how to develop them and the supporting networks to become more relevant.
This GlobalArctic special session is based on The GlobalArctic Project (https://globalarctic.org) and the Pan-Eurasian EXperient (PEEX; www.atm.helsinki.fi/peex), as well as the Analysis and Synthesis on Arctic Policies, Strategies and Programs Research Report (by IIASA) (will be launched in autumn 2019). It is related and supported by the Arctic Circle GlobalArctic Mission Council. The session will be started by short introduction of the projects and the report.
The session is open to all researchers from different disciplines, who are interested in Arctic governance/geopolitics, environmental studies, climate change, biodiversity, air quality, as well as the Arctic in the world politics.

(S12) Arctic Communities and Indigenous Peoples in an Era of Change: Law, Social, Economic and Environmental Perspectives

Main convener: Violetta Gassiy; Co-conveners: Natalia Loukacheva, Romain Chuffart

In an era of change there is a strong need to rethink the environment-human relationship in the Arctic. It is connected with the problem of climate change and its challenges to local and indigenous communities which are mostly depend on natural capital. Modern climate changes significantly affect coastal communities, species diversity of animals and plants, human health and welfare, as well as the economy and infrastructure of the Arctic regions. The most large-scale changes will be felt by the indigenous peoples of the North, whose life is inseparably linked with the natural environment. As the permafrost is thawing, the threat of destruction of buildings, roads, pipelines, airports and other infrastructure increases, which in a number of cases will lead to significant economic losses, deterioration in the quality of drinking water supply, social tension, forced migration and, as a result, an increase in the number of infectious and non-infectious diseases, including mental disorders, psychosomatic and addiction diseases. Indigenous peoples are the most vulnerable category of the population to the climate negative impact in the Arctic. Limiting the possibility of using bio-resources as a result of hunting and reindeer herding, fishing and gathering, as well as reducing the safety of movement when the parameters of ice and weather conditions change significantly increase the risks to health and life and, possibly, in the future, threaten the very existence of some nationalities and cultures.
Hundreds of years of indigenous communities' observations over the changes in the Arctic, the formation of ideas about the laws of nature, beliefs in the "living land of ancestors" give today the opportunity to transform traditional knowledge into the daily practice of government, business, scientists in the far North, and integrate it with modern technologies. According to the Paris Climate Change Agreement indigenous peoples and local communities are recognized as the important actors in building a world that is resilient in the face of climate impacts. These factors are leading to reassessment the Arctic governance in terms of equal access of indigenous peoples to public services and participation in political, economic and cultural affairs, the fair sharing of national wealth drawn from their lands (through project development and natural resource extraction activities) and the maintenance of their culture and way of life. The session supposes to consider the case-studies ranging from local perspectives and values of the environment to the wider political and social contexts that external forces raise to impact local communities. It is also aimed to the issues of indigenous peoples' adaptation to climate change and discussion the ways to sustain their future.

(S13) Building an Autonomous Arctic Community in the Anthropocene: Redefining the Human-environmental Ties

Main convener: Naotaka Hayashi; Co-convener: Minori Takahashi

The purpose of this panel is to grasp problems that Arctic communities have in adapting to climate change from a viewpoint of community building and development. In particular, the panel discusses ties of the communities with their immediate environments in which community members engage in subsistence activities, and seek a valid and ethical human-environmental relationship, thus tying into community building and development.
Recent global processes of climate change have brought home the fact that we live in the Anthropocene, in which human impact on one place may lead to complicated natural processes that manifest abruptly and unexpectedly in different parts of the globe. Arctic communities are at the forefront of this process. Many Inuit households in Greenland, for example, base their economies on subsistence activities such as hunting and fishing, and those who engage in land-based livelihoods have been witnessing weather anomalies and unusual environmental changes that they may not be responsible for. Land-based livelihoods are not just a means of procuring food but also connect with every aspect of the lives in local communities. The natural environment in which they live is a platform for local residents to make a living, and knowledge and skills that local inhabitants acquire through livelihoods provide a framework with which they make sense of the world. Today, that framework is challenged by unprecedented environmental change. Residents in coastal Greenlandic communities are being pressed to reshape and readjust their relationships to their immediate environments. At the same time, local economies are increasingly integrated into the global economy and are more closely connected to international politics.
Questions the panel addresses are as follows. In a rapidly changing situation, whether environmental, economic or political, how can local residents maintain, reaffirm or validate their relationship to the changing environment? How can local residents mobilize their assets and resources to maintain a viable community in the course of the change? Or how can community members share public resources equitably among themselves? Further, to what extent can a community remain autonomous and self-reliant against environmental and economic changes? How important is it for the community to achieve self-determination in building hope for the future?
In order to tackle these questions that Arctic communities are facing, we draw on case studies and discussions, but not just from the Arctic region, and ranging from local perspectives and values of the environment to the wider political and social contexts that external forces raise to impact local communities.

(S14) Coping with Waste Disposal in Arctic and Sub-Arctic North America: The Role of Japanese Scientists

Main convener: Shunwa Honda; Co-convener: Fujio Ohnishi

Waste management in remote and small Arctic communities generally presents significantly greater potential for health and environmental exposures, and greater potential for negative impacts on daily life and individual and societal well-being. Smoke and particulate pollution, as well as toxic emissions from uncontrolled incineration in burn boxes, disposal of waste oil, contamination by leachate from open land fill dumps. Based upon the results of research by the Zender Environmental Health and Research Group, a non-profit organization (Anchorage), we explore possible avenues of amelioration of these environmental problems by Japanese scientists.
Difficulty of disposal and treatment of residential and other hazardous waste in remote Arctic communities is exacerbated by the following restrictive conditions:
1) Removal of waste products is severely limited by costly transportation, often limited to airline connections and seasonal barges
2) Many Arctic communities are sparsely population, resulting in a great financial burden of In-site waste management.
3) Monitoring of environmental hazards from waste disposal facilities is hindered by the remoteness of communities and shortage of on-site trained technicians.
In this session, we discuss possible contributions of Japanese engineers, and the role of social scientists in determining the needs and preferences of the communities, as well as to facilitate the inauguration of technologies. Specifically, efficient low emission small scale incinerators (burn boxes), emission filters and compact monitoring instruments to be used by non-technical persons would contribute to management and reduction of hazardous contamination.
Another contribution could be providing toilets separating urine and feces to be used in place of "honey buckets".
Social scientists would provide social-cultural information support in the selection of technology
This session represents tentative results of ‘Japanese Contributions to Social Socio-Environmental Problems Arising from Climate Change Japan', sponsored by Emergent Cross-disciplinary Collaboration Research, Arctic Research Network Center [J-ARC Net] Community Support Projects

(S15) Environmental Characterization of the NSR

Main convener: Takuji Waseda; Co-conveners: Tatiana Alexeeva, Junji Sawamura

The number of ships navigating in the Northern Sea Route has doubled in 2018 from the previous year and is expected to increase by eightfold in 2030 as the sea-ice retreat in the Arctic Ocean accelerates. The enhanced winds and waves in the open waters, as well as the thick ice floes are potential hazards for the ships navigating in the NSR. It is known that majority of ship losses in the NSR are results of sea ice pressures. To develop a sustainable navigation system in the NSR, characterization of the environmental conditions in the past, present and future is a necessity. At the same time, quantification of wave and ice loads on ships is needed. In this session, we invite papers on the following topics: dynamical and statistical description of wind, wave, and sea ice in the NSR; wind, wave and ice loads on ships; experiments, observation and simulation on wave-ice interaction; hindcasting and forecasting system; observation system; climate variability and change affecting the NSR; peculiarities of navigation through the ice cover of new LNG vessels of the highest ice classes, operating in the NSR; and related topics;

(S16) Loads, Ship Response, and Design of the NSR

Main convener: Akihisa Konno; Co-conveners: Junji Sawamura, Takatoshi Matsuzawa

The increasing of ship navigation in the Arctic demands safer and more efficient operation of a vessel from both economic and environmental point of views. For the design of ice-going ships, the more detailed understanding of the ice loads and ship response in the ice-covered water is required. The recent development of ship engineering in sea ice is remarkable, and various approaches for understanding Arctic shipping have been proposed. Ice loads and ship response in the ice-covered water, however, have not been fully understood. In this session, we will invite papers of the recent study related to the design for ship navigation through the NSR. We will discuss the safe and efficient navigation in the Arctic region through the topics of ice mechanics, ice load on a ship and Arctic ship design.

(S17) Assessment/Economics/Feasibility and Risks of the NSR

Main convener: Natsuhiko Otsuka; Co-convener: Kazutaka Tateyama

Against the background of Arctic sea ice retreat in summer, shipping activities along the Northern Sea Route (NSR) is becoming reality. In recent years, volume of project cargoes for natural resource exploitation and products are continuously increasing. However, still many risks could be found in navigating ice infested waters along the Northern Sea Route. Growing number of sailing ships results in increase of emissions and risk of maritime accident as well. In order to achieve sustainable use of the Northern Sea Route, not only natural science but also engineering and other fields of research works should be integrated to investigate diverging tasks.
The session will expand its interest to practical issues of shipping related issues in the NSR and other ice covered waters. The session will be able to cover research field of engineering science, natural science and social science, which will be related to the satellite remote sensing, navigation, infrastructure, safety and risk related issues, environment, and sustainability. Themes such as ice class ship, icing, navigation, infrastructure, risk analysis, environmental impact caused by ship, oil spill, and satellite observation in ice infested waters etc. will be expected.

(S18) Transdisciplinary Research and Education for a Sustainable Arctic

Main convener: Hajime Yamaguchi; Co-conveners: Magnus Burman, Hideaki Murayama, Nina Kirchner, Jessica Emakovich, Nadezhda Kharlampieva

The main convener and co-conveners are members of ASIAQ -The Arctic Science IntegrAtion Quest (https://asiaq.org/). In ASIAQ, six universities from three continents and four countries (Sweden, Russia, USA, Japan) are participating to discuss transdisciplinary research topics and pedagogical aspects for a sustainable Arctic. Since May of 2018, we have three workshops in Sweden, Japan, and USA and you can see the reports on the web site (https://asiaq.org/).
Recent rapid changes in the Arctic are forcing people to identify induced problems and solve them. Then people would quickly notice that both of problem and solution are overlapping between the fields of science, humanities, economics, politics and so on, and that it is not simple to take effective action for them.
In ASIAQ, Arctic waters have been specifically focused on to work together. As water does not recognize boundaries (geographic, political or disciplinary), researchers from four disciplines that commonly work independently: Arctic Engineering and Technologies (AET), Arctic Physical Science (APS), Arctic Medicine and Health (AMH), and Arctic Social Sciences (ASS), have worked together. There have been significant challenges to initiate and maintain the project, but also huge opportunities to enhance the perspectives and activities holistically.
In this session, researchers and teachers who are interested in the transdisciplinary research and education for a sustainable Arctic are welcomed to talk about their experiences and on-going projects. Several talks will be given by ASIAQ members.

(S19) Development and Implementation of a Sustainable Arctic Observing Network: Accomplishments and Challenges

Main convener: Jeremy Wilkinson, Stein Sandven ; Co-conveners: Michael Karcher, Craig Lee, Hanne Sagen

Delivering a sustainable, but flexible, Arctic observing system is a key priority that has been identified by both the Arctic Council, and the two Arctic Ministerials. The evidence is clear, a fully functioning observing system drives sustainable development and investment, empowers local communities, and enables scientists to study, forecast and assess Arctic and global changes. This in turn contributes to evidence-based adaptation/mitigation strategies and policies. Given the importance of a functioning Arctic observing system it is time to highlight our achievements as well as solving the challenges that still lie before us.
Collectively, the international scientific Arctic community has been working hard to improve the long-term sustainability and interoperability of an Arctic observing system of systems. The objective of the session is to gather key persons from Arctic communities, non-governmental organisations, academia, industry, governments, and international organisations to discuss ways ahead to implement sustainable observing systems in the Arctic.
It is not an easy task as the network must be co-designed with multiple partners and stakeholders, and there are differing opinions on the way forward. But by working in partnership we have the possibility to transform Arctic observations and derive an observing system of systems that serves all stakeholder groups well.
This session provides an opportunity to better understand the broad nature of an observing network (land, ocean, ice, and atmosphere), and as such we welcome presentations on all aspects of an Arctic observing system of systems. From the challenges associated with year-round data collection, through to the integration and visualization of multidisciplinary data from distributed repositories, societal benefit and cost benefit analysis, network design, policy and more.
The session focuses on co-producing recommendations regarding how to best develop, organise and maintain long-term observing systems in different Arctic regions (both land and marine based). These recommendations will address major SAON objectives, as well as forming an integral be part of the Roadmap for a future sustainable Arctic observing system, to be developed under the INTAROS project (www.intaros.eu).

(S20) Scientific Contributions to the Third Arctic Science Ministerial (ASM3)

Main convener: Volker Rachold; Co-conveners: Hiroyuki Enomoto, Thorsteinn Gunnarsson, Nicole Biebow, Jeremy Wilkinson

Climate change, globalization and geopolitical dynamics challenge the Arctic region and its inhabitants. The consequences of these forces increasingly exceed local and national mitigation and adaptation capacities, and reach far beyond the high latitudes. A sustainable and prosperous future for the Arctic requires regional and international actors to jointly recognize issues, and then develop solutions, as equal partners, to address these. This is increasingly important if we are to meet our legally binding Paris Agreement commitments and the 17 UN sustainable development goals.
Recognizing these challenges, the 26 nations and 6 indigenous organizations attending the Second Arctic Science Ministerial (ASM2) prioritized the improvement and better coordination of international science cooperation on Arctic issues. Building on the successful ASM2 held in Berlin 2018, Japan and Iceland have agreed to co-organize the Third Arctic Science Ministerial (ASM3) in Tokyo autumn 2020. ASM3 will continue the efforts towards more international, collaborative research for a better understanding of the Arctic which enables us to predict changes more accurately, continue to build sustainable and resilient communities and to preserve the Arctic´s unique ecosystem for the future.
This Special Session, held about 6 months prior to the ministerial meeting, will focus on the scientific content of ASM3. It will serve as a forum to present and discuss scientific contributions to ASM3 and also include status reports on the planning of the ministerial. The purpose is to support the planning of the ASM3 and to enable the scientific community to contribute.
Abstract submissions are invited for four breakout sessions addressing the themes:
I. Strengthening, Integrating and Sustaining Arctic Observations, Facilitating Access to Arctic Data, and Sharing Arctic Research Infrastructure
II. Understanding Regional and Global Dynamics of Arctic Change
III. Assessing Vulnerability and Building Resilience of Arctic Environments and Societies
IV. Capacity Building in the Arctic. Contribution of Science and Engineering, Private Sector and the Local Communities

The focus should be on activities where an improved and better-coordinated international scientific effort can provide opportunities to advance understanding of, and ability to respond to major societal challenges in the Arctic and globally.
A plenary session with invited presentations will be held at the end of ISAR-6 conference. It will include presentations summarizing the outcome of the four breakout sessions and introducing the plans for ASM3. Please submit your abstract selecting the theme you are addressing with your presentation.

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