1st Monaco Polar Symposium From Arctic to Antarctic

Arctic and Antarctic regions are changing rapidly. Scientific evidence of the changes feeds IPBES, IPCC and global assessment reports and points to unprecedented and rapid altering of geophysical and living features of the polar regions. Speakers will address and discuss issues of changes in Arctic and Southern Ocean chemistry, temperature and carbon pump function, changes in ice regimes, permafrost and glaciers, changes in terrestrial and ocean species, food webs and ecosystems in the polar regions and resulting changes in human communities’ living conditions.

Introduction from Jan-Gunnar Winther, Director, Norwegian Centre for the Ocean and the Arctic at UiT the Arctic University of Norway and Specialist Director at the Norwegian Polar Institute 

PANELISTS:

• Rob de Conto, climate scientist and glaciologist at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst USA 
• Julie Brigham-Grette, Former Chair of the Polar Research Board of the U.S. National Academy of Science, glaciologist and professor of geosciences at University of Massachusetts at Amherst
• Gabriela Schaepman-Strub, Associate Professor of Earth System Sciences, Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich
• Bruce Forbes, Research Professor in Global Change at the Arctic Centre, University of Lapland

Moderated by Antje Boetius, Director Alfred Wegener Institute

Remarks from Early Career Scientists:

• Gwenaëlle Gremion, Université du Québec à Rimouski-Institut des Sciences de la mer, APECS
• Cristina Genovese, Université Libre de Bruxelles

Over the last decades, global warming has led to widespread shrinking of the cryosphere, in particular with mass loss from ice sheets and Arctic Sea ice extent and thickness. In turn, impacts of climate change on the cryosphere is posing great challenges and, at times, globally straining the resilience of ecosystems and societies that are already affected by climate change. Speakers will discuss how increased polar ice melting is driving global sea level rise all the way to small island states, how interconnectivity of Arctic and Southern oceans with other ocean basins is bringing about altered oceanic circulation of temperature, carbon and nutrients, how extreme weather events at all latitude could be linked to polar changes and how, more generally, changes in the poles are amplifying global climate changes.

Short film from OceanX

Introduction from Eric Rignot, Chancellor Professor of Earth system science at the University of California, Irvine, and Senior Research Scientist for the NASA Radar Science and Engineering Section

PANELISTS:

• Markus Rex, Mosaic expedition leader, and senior researcher, Alfred Wegener Institute, Germany
• Julienne Stroeve, Professor of Polar Observation & Modelling, UCL London
• Michael Meredith, oceanographer, and Science Leader, British Antarctic Survey
• Gustaf Hugelius, Vice-director of the Bolin Centre for Climate Research at Stockholm University

Moderated by Pam Pearson, Director International Cryosphere Climate Initiative

Remarks from Early Career Scientists: 

• Casimir de Lavergne, CNRS, Sorbonne Université
• Susana Hancock, APECS

Impacts of changes in the polar regions increasingly challenge the notion and extent of risks and create opportunities in the polar regions and beyond. Pillars of local and global economies associated with the polar regions are being reconsidered, whether in terms of fisheries, extractive resources, shipping or tourism, and changes are projected to affect income, livelihoods and food securities of dependent communities and societies. International governance efforts are being challenged. Speakers will discuss some of these issues with a particular focus on assessing and mitigating risks.

Short film from Tara Ocean Foundation

Introduction from Gim Huay, Director Climate and Nature, World Economic Forum

PANELISTS: 

• Klaus Dodds, Professor of geopolitics at Royal Holloway, University of London (online)

• Karin Buhmann, Professor, Head of the Centre for Law, Sustainability & Justice (CLS&J), University of Southern Denmark , Professor in Business & Human Rights, Copenhagen Business School

• Gunn-Britt Retter, Head of the Arctic and Environment Unit of the Saami Council
• Dmitry Yumashev, Small World Consulting (online)

• Yousra Makanse, Wageningen University, APECS

Moderated by Gail Whiteman, Professor of Sustainability at the University of Exeter Business School, Executive Director at Arctic Basecamp

Remarks from Early Career Scientists: 

• Harmony Wayner, University Centre of the Westfjords, APECS

• Jillian Galloway, Fullbright Fellow Iceland

• Fireside chat with Frederik Paulsen
• Feedback from session moderators
• Next Steps facilitated by Larry Hinzman
• Closing Remarks