By Falk Huettmann and Sue Hazlett The Arctic represents a region of the globe directly affected by climate change, human disturbance and natural variation. In addition to acting as the global weather machine, it is considered one of the last remaining “wilderness” areas. However, the warming of the Arctic, a prospect of an ice-free maritime route across the top of the world, and the International Polar Year (IPY), has piqued an interest in the Arctic not previously seen. Prospects of shipping routes, tourism, oil and gas development, and new commercial fisheries have started a land rush by various nations to claim a piece of the northern oceans. The Arctic is in danger of being given away piecemeal as each nation asserts claims and then rushes to develop or exploit their...

On Sept 1 it was announced in Melbourne that Meredith Hooper won the Nettie Palmer Prize for Non-Fiction 2008 for her book ,The Ferocious Summer, (Profile Books UK, Allen & Unwin Australia, Greystone Books USA and Canada). These prestigious awards were established in 1985 by the Premier of Victoria to mark the centenary of the births of Vance and Nettie Palmer – distinguished writers and critics in Victorian and Australian literary culture. Meredith’s citation reads: This book effortlessly gives the reader a lucid yet crucial understanding of what climate change is doing to penguins in the Antarctic and by extension to our world. Important information is engrossingly conveyed on every page through the engaging yet unsentimental voice of a super...

The Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence-West (COSEE-West) would like to invite formal and informal educators to participate in an exciting online workshop, "Weather, Sea Level Rise and Climate Change," to be held this November 2008. This invitation is open to any educators who are interested in learning more about how scientists are studying climate change and its accompanying effects on our planet. The online workshop environment will include "rooms" to ask questions of keynote speakers and to hold discussions with other educators around the country and the world. COSEE-West will also post supporting teacher resources in the online environment. When: November 3 - 23, 2008 Who: Formal and informal educators Where: College of Exp...

The National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) has released a second set of sea ice animations for Google Earth. As before the images are available in 30- 60- and 90-day animations of sea ice concentration and extent. While the first set of animations, released in late August, are based on data from the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) on the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) F13 satellite, the new set is based on data from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer - Earth Observing System (AMSR-E) sensor on NASA's Aqua satellite. The significant differences between the two datasets are: AMSR-E has twice the resolution as SSM/I (12.5km vs 25km) and AMSR-E has a wider swath so there is better coverage near the pole. Monthly average sea ice...

Live From The Poles website Project Goals The polar regions are experiencing unprecedented environmental changes that have significant potential impacts on global climate, ecosystems, and society. Thousands of scientists from dozens of countries will focus their attention on the Arctic and Antarctic for two years beginning in March 2007 in an effort known as the International Polar Year (IPY). Live from the Poles will help heighten public awareness during IPY by bringing cutting-edge science to diverse, worldwide audiences of students, teachers, and the public. Our program is designed to share the excitement of polar exploration, communicate the importance of the Poles to the...

Calling all photographers - we want your thumbnails! Poles ApartCall for submissions PDF We are looking for your thumbnails, but before inflicting any bodily harm, bear in mind that we are looking for thumbnail images. Are you interested in helping to build a legacy for this fourth IPY? Have you taken digital photographs that tell the story of your work, or more generally of polar science? Please consider submitting them to the IPY-endorsed exhibition Poles Apart // Pulling Together, a project that celebrates IPY contributions to the global good. It only takes a few minutes to make your submission of thumbnail images, to be considered for this exci...

Meeting Announcement and Call for Abstracts: Lessons from Continuity and Change in the Fourth International Polar Year Date: 4-7 March 2009 Location: University of Alaska Fairbanks Deadline for abstract submission: 15 November 2008 Deadline for early registration: 31 December 2008 The University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) and the Inland Northwest Research Alliance (INRA) are now accepting abstracts and registration for their co-hosted symposium, Lessons from Continuity and Change in the Fourth International Polar Year, to be held 4-7 March 2009 at UAF. Oral and poster presentation abstracts should be submitted via the symposium website by 15 November 2008. Accepted presentations will be programmed into thematic...

Where to begin? I am buzzing.. just buzzing. What a Day,- and half the world hasn't even woken up yet! Today is our sixth International Polar Day, and we are focusing on People in the Polar Regions. Plans for the day have been very experimental, very grassroots, much in line with IPY.. but with that comes that great big unknowingness.... will anyone join in? Will anyone turn up? Last night...

CRAC-ICE will be a coordinated investigation into calving processes on three major Antarctic ice shelves, and a (long-term) monitoring of icebergs in the Southern Ocean, including the study of the physical processes related to iceberg drift and decay.

The Prince Albert II of Monaco foundation is financing the participation of scientists and students in the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO) Aquatic Sciences Meeting to be held in Nice, France, Jan 25-30, for the Topical Session 054: Impacts of Climate Warming on Polar Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems. As a result of this financing, 12 fellowships worth 1000 euros each are available, to be used to finance the participation in this polar session of 12 scientists from developing countries, countries bordering the southern Mediterranean, or students. If you are eligible, please, contact the co-chairs of the 054 Topical session after confirmation of your abstract submission (...