Norwegian Partner institutions:
Geological Survey of Norway (NGU), University of Tromsø (UiT), Norwegian Polar Institute (NPI),
Norwegian University of Life Sciences (UMB), University of Bergen (UiB), Science Centers (Vitensenter) Tromsø, Trondheim and Bergen (SC), Oslo University College, Faculty of Journalism (UOC).

Objectives and rationales

This project is the Norwegian coordinated contribution to the IPY endorsed APEX program (# 39). It will focus on the European Arctic region, including the Polar North Atlantic Ocean (> 70ON), Svalbard and adjoining continental margin, coastal areas of northernmost Norway, the Barents Sea and NW Russia.

The proposed project will:
•    Advance our fundamental knowledge on natural climate and environmental change in the Arctic by improving system understanding and quantifying certain climate components
•    Advance our understanding of human adaptation strategies to past rapid and large-scale changes in the physical environment
•    Generate public outreach strategies that will leave a lasting legacy of increased public awareness of the natural environmental systems of the Arctic