First Announcement:
ACIA International Scientific Symposium on Climate Change in the Arctic
Reykjavik, Iceland
21-24 September 2004
For more information contact:
Barb Hameister (bhameister [at] iarc.uaf.edu)
Organised and supported by:
The Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA) under the auspices of the
Arctic Council working groups Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme
(AMAP) and Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF), in association
with the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC).
The Environment and Food Agency of Iceland
The Icelandic Institute of Natural History
The Icelandic Meteorological Office
Background
Climate variability and change, and more recently, notable increases in
UV radiation, have become important issues in the Arctic region over the
past few decades. These issues have also prevailed in the international
scientific and political scene for over a decade through major
programmes of scientific research (e.g., WCRP), through
intergovernmental assessments (e.g., AMAP, IPCC, and WMO), and through
international treaties, protocols and conventions.
The results of scientific research and indigenous peoples' traditional
knowledge have increasingly documented climatic changes in the Arctic.
Models indicate that these changes will be more pronounced in the Arctic
region than in other regions of the world and will be critical to our
understanding of global-scale climatic processes.
The Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA) was formally adopted at the
Ministerial Conference of the Arctic Council at Point Barrow, Alaska, in
2000. Two of the Arctic Council's working groups, the Arctic Monitoring
and Assessment Programme (AMAP) and Conservation of Arctic Flora and
Fauna (CAFF), in association with the International Arctic Science
Committee (IASC), were given the task by the ministers to conduct the
ACIA. An Assessment Steering Committee was appointed and a secretariat
established in Fairbanks, Alaska: http://www.acia.uaf.edu. As specified
in the Barrow Declaration, the goal of the ACIA is to "evaluate and
synthesize knowledge on climate variability and change and increased
ultraviolet radiation, and support policy-making processes and the work
of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change." The assessment is to
address "environmental, human health, social, cultural and economic
impacts and consequences, including policy recommendations."
More than 250 scientists and six circumpolar indigenous organisations
have participated in the ACIA. Three documents will be delivered to the
ministers at the Arctic Council Ministerial Conference in Reykjavik,
Iceland, in September 2004:
- Scientific document (fully refereed and detailed scientific assessment
report) - Synthesis/overview document (a popular version of the scientific
document aimed at communicating the science and traditional knowledge of
climate change in the Arctic to the public) - Policy recommendations (based on the scientific conclusions and
findings and elaborated by the AMAP and CAFF working groups and
indigenous organisations) for consideration by Arctic Council ministers.
Topics and objectives
This symposium will address a variety of issues connected to climate
change in the circumpolar Arctic and its environmental and societal
consequences such as:
- the Arctic climate and its role in the global climate system,
- past, present and future changes in physical and biological systems,
- impacts of a changing climate on people's lives and on the economy,
- impacts on wildlife and other conservation issues,
- Arctic feedbacks on the global climate and other global consequences,
- national and international policy issues and recommended action.
Identification of knowledge gaps and the need for new research and
monitoring will be an important issue at the symposium.
The ACIA scientific assessment will be the primary document under
consideration at the symposium. The scientific results and background,
including indigenous peoples' perspectives and observations, will be
presented and discussed in an integrated circumpolar context. The ACIA
assessment should also be discussed within the context of global,
regional and sub-regional environmental management and policy
development. Presentations on topics not directly dealt with by the
ACIA, but of relevance to climate change in the Arctic, are also highly
welcome.
The symposium will be an important part of the process by which the ACIA
will communicate its results and conclusions to Arctic stakeholders and
to politicians. A brief summary report from the discussions and
presentations will be delivered to the ministers at their meeting in the
week following the symposium.
Who should attend
The symposium is directed towards interest groups including:
- scientists working on Arctic and climate change issues,
- administrators, managers and decision-makers with responsibility at
both the local and regional level,
- indigenous peoples' organisations,
- representatives of industries and international and non-governmental
organisations with interests in the Arctic, and/or global climate change
issues.
Organisation and structure
The symposium will be organised in the form of 4-5 sections (see topics
above), each with oral and poster presentations. Keynote speakers will
be invited. Both oral and poster presentations will be selected from
abstracts submitted before 1st of February 2004. Presentations of
significant national, bilateral and multilateral activities that have
contributed to the ACIA or are relevant to climate change in the Arctic
are also welcome. Accepted abstracts will be printed in a proceedings
from the symposium.
The symposium will conclude with a panel discussion in which invited
scientists, environmental managers, and representatives from indigenous
peoples' groups and NGOs will participate.
The symposium language will be English with Russian translation if
necessary.
Timetable
Second announcement with call for abstracts 1 December 2003
Submission of abstracts 1 February 2004
Notification of acceptance of papers 1 April 2004
Third announcement with programme details 1 May 2004
Early registration 1 July 2004
Conference 21-24 September 2004
Venue
The ACIA scientific symposium will be convened at Nordica Hotel
Sudurlandsbraut 2, in Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, on 21-24
September 2004, just prior to the Fourth Arctic Council Ministerial
Meeting.
Programme and symposium fees
The third announcement, issued 1 May 2004, will include programme
details, logistics, and registration information. Updates about the
symposium will be posted on http://www.acia.uaf.edu, http://www.amap.no,
http://www.iasc.no, and http://www.caff.is.
The fee of the symposium has provisionally been set at 200 USD (early
registration 150 USD), which will include a copy of the ACIA scientific
document, a copy of the abstract proceedings from the conference, a
symposium dinner, and refreshments.
The symposium has a capacity for ca. 350 participants. A block booking
has been made at Reykjavik hotels. Further information on registration,
hotel reservations, excursions etc., will be included in subsequent
announcements of the symposium. To receive this information, please
return the reply slip attached to this announcement.
Local organising committee
Svanhvit Bragadottir, Ust. (svanhvit [at] ust.is)
Nirna B. Berndsen, Congress Reykjavik (birna [at] congress.is)
Programme committee
Robert Corell, USA
Halldór Björnsson, Iceland
Terry Callaghan, Sweden
Gordon McBean, Canada
Pål Prestrud, Norway
Lars-Otto Reiersen, Norway
Jan-Idar Solbakken, Indigenous Peoples' Secretariat
Gunter Weller, USA
ACIA International Scientific Symposium on Climate Change in the Arctic
Reykjavik, Iceland, 21-24 September 2004
I am interested in attending the conference. Please send me the second
announcement.
Name:
Institution:
Mailing Address:
Country:
email:
I am interested in giving a paper. A tentative title is:
I would prefer to give an Oral………. Poster………. Paper……….
My paper fits primarily under the following conference theme:
- the Arctic climate and its role in the global climate system……………………..
- past, present and future changes in physical and biological
systems……………
- impacts of a changing climate on people's lives and on the
economy…………..
- impacts on wildlife and other conservation issues………………………………
- Arctic feedbacks on the global climate and other global
consequences………….
- national and international policy issues and recommended action……………….
Please return this by mail, Fax, or e-mail to:
ACIA Secretariat
International Arctic Research Center
PO Box 757740
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Fairbanks AK 99775-7740
USA
Fax: 1 907 474 6722
Email: bhameister [at] iarc.uaf.edu