International Arctic Conference: Researchers meet in Bremen!

International Arctic Conference: Researchers meet in Bremen!

The University of Bremen is preparing for the International Conference on Arctic Margins (ICAM), which will take place from March 16 to 21, 2025. Around 130 researchers from various disciplines are expected at this important scientific forum, which is organized by the Department of Geosciences. The aim of the conference is to promote international cooperation in Arctic research by addressing not only geoscientific, but also social and political science topics, such as uni-bremen.de reported.

The opening of the ICAM will take place on March 16th by the Senator for the Environment, Climate and Science, Kathrin Moosdorf, and the Rector of the University of Bremen, Professor Jutta Günther. A central event of the conference will be the public evening lecture on March 18th at 7:00 p.m. Professor David Cole Mosher from the Geological Survey of Canada will speak on the topic “UNCLOS: Beyond 200 Miles in the Arctic Ocean”. The lecture deals with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the geologically defined usage claims in the Arctic Ocean. What is particularly noteworthy is that the lecture will be held in English and anyone interested is cordially invited to take part.

Research in the Arctic and international cooperation

The history of polar research is closely linked to the voyages of discovery of the 19th and 20th centuries. The first International Polar Year took place from 1882 to 1883 and was organized by eleven European countries and the USA. This first year laid the foundation for future research and coordinated international scientific efforts. A total of four International Polar Years were carried out, the last from March 2007 to March 2009. The focus of these research projects is diverse and ranges from climatology to biology to geology and social science topics, as can be seen from the information provided by the Umweltbundesamt.de emerges.

German research in the Arctic is strongly influenced by institutions such as the Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) and the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR). While the AWI operates long-term stations in the Arctic, the BGR particularly investigates peripheral areas of the Arctic Ocean in order to work on topics such as magmatism and permafrost research. Cooperation with the neighboring countries is essential in order to carry out the scientific studies.

Preparation for future challenges

In view of climate change, which is bringing drastic changes to the Arctic and Antarctic, research is becoming increasingly relevant. Extreme weather, sea level rise and other environmental problems threaten not only ecosystems, but also economies and human well-being worldwide. These challenges make it essential to increase knowledge about the polar regions in order to develop strategies to adapt and mitigate impacts. Preparations for the 5th International Polar Year in 2032-33 are already underway, so the importance of scientific collaboration for the future cannot be overstated. To this end, the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) and the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) have taken initial steps to close knowledge gaps, as shown on scar-iasc.de is described.