3rd Symposium on the Impacts of an Ice-Diminishing Arctic on Naval and
Maritime Operations
9-11 June 2009
U.S. Naval Academy
Annapolis, MD
For further information and registration, please go to:
http://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/star/IceSymposium2009.php
Or contact:
Pablo Clemente-Colon
U.S. National Ice Center
E-mail: Pablo.Clemente-Colon [at] natice.noaa.gov
Registration is now open for the 3rd Symposium on the Impacts of an
Ice-Diminishing Arctic on Naval and Maritime Operations, co-hosted by
the National Ice Center (NIC) and the U.S. Arctic Research Commission
(USARC), 9-11 June 2009 at U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD.
The symposium addresses present and future impacts of these rapid
changes. In particular, it provides a forum for key agencies to discuss
their planned response to the updated Arctic Policy of the U.S.
government. This event is a follow-up to the symposia on "Naval
Operations in an Ice-free Arctic" sponsored by the Office of Naval
Research (ONR), NIC, the Oceanographer of the Navy, and the USARC in
April 2001 and on the "Impact of an Ice-Diminishing Arctic on Naval and
Maritime Operations" co-sponsored by NIC and USARC in July 2007. While
the 2001 symposium focused mainly on naval operations and national
strategic issues, the 2007 symposium expanded the discussion to impacts
on other maritime operations such as commercial transportation, oil and
gas exploration and exploitation, fisheries, and oceanographic research.
The 2009 symposium continues this discussion under the light of several
events that include:
-Record Arctic sea ice extent observed in 2007 with record loss of
multiyear ice in 2008;
-The signing of a new National Security Presidential Decision (NSPD) on
arctic policy in December 2008;
-The end of the International Polar Year (IPY) in March 2009;
-The 2009 meeting of the Arctic Council and the Antarctic Treaty 50th
anniversary meeting in Washington, D.C., and
-The upcoming debate on the ratification of the United Nations
Convention on the Law of the Sea in the 111th Congress.
The symposium provides a unique high-level forum to explore the plans of
key agencies to respond to the new mandate of the Arctic Policy NSPD. It
will also serve to further publicize the results of the Arctic Marine
Shipping Assessment (AMSA) just released by the Arctic Council in April
2009. As in previous symposia, the 2009 symposium will provide a forum
for the review of the rapid changes in arctic sea ice conditions
observed over the last years, an update on sea ice forecast model
predictions, and a review of the impact of present and expected
environmental conditions on present and future naval and maritime
operations in the region.
Registration and logistic information for the three-day symposium is
available at:
http://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/star/IceSymposium2009.php
Or contact:
Pablo Clemente-Colon
U.S. National Ice Center
E-mail: Pablo.Clemente-Colon [at] natice.noaa.gov