2020 European Polar Science Week
Virtual Event

Polar regions are sentinels of climate change and human resilience. They have experienced the most rapid rates of warming in recent years. Its expected impacts will exceed those forecasted for many other regions, resulting in significant consequences affecting natural ecosystems and human activities.

Improving our observation capacity and enhancing the basic understanding of the drivers and processes governing those changes, and translate knowledge into solutions for society, are major challenges for the future.

Earth observation from space and Earth system science will represent an essential element in this process. Addressing the major challenge in Polar research will require a significant collaborative effort and an integrated approach to science where the synergistic use of satellite data, in-situ and citizen observations, advanced modelling capabilities, interdisciplinary research and new technologies will be essential elements.

This is why the European Commission (Directorate General for Research and Innovation) and the European Space Agency are working together to improve cooperation and to identify the grand science challenges in Polar research that may drive joint EC-ESA scientific activities in the coming years.

The European Polar Science Week is one of the first results of this increased cooperation between the two organisations. It will take place on-line during October 26-30 2020.

The overall objective of the European Polar Science Week is to bring together the European Polar science community, and reinforce European cooperation for Polar Science.
More specifically, the Polar Science Week will aim to:

• Identifying major Polar scientific challenges, observation gaps and research needs for the coming years ;
• Define major scientific priorities in polar research that may drive EC and ESA collaborative activities in the coming years and formulate recommendations for a EC-ESA Common Polar Science Agenda;
• Share latest results in polar science with a focus on Earth Observation, and promote networking and collaborative research in Polar sciences, bringing together different expertise, data and resources in a systemic manner.

During this week, key scientists and stakeholders of Polar Science will have the opportunity discuss the major challenges and opportunities in front of us, promote networking and collaboration across projects and activities and support ESA and the EC to collect recommendations for the future Polar science priorities in Europe.

The European Polar Science Week is organised by the European Space Agency and the European Commission together with EASME (the European Executive Agency for SMEs) and EU PolarNet.

The European Polar Science Week will contribute to the implementation of several major policy initiatives:

• the EU Arctic strategy,
• the European Green Deal,
• Third Arctic Science Ministerial Meeting.

The results of this event could feed into the revision of the EU Arctic policy, for which an open public consultation has been launched in July this year. The Public consultation is open until 6 November 2020, don’t hesitate to take part!