Second Announcement
Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA)
International Scientific Symposium on Climate Change in the Arctic
Reykjavik, Iceland
9-12 November 2004 (NOTE DATE CHANGE)
Abstract Submission Deadlines
Short (1 page) abstracts: Thursday, 15 April 2004
Extended (max. 3 pages) abstracts: Wednesday, 1 September 2004
For further information, please contact:
Barb Hameister (bhameister [at] iarc.uaf.edu)
or go to:
http://www.amap.no/MiscTempFiles/ACIA-Symp.htm
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 organizations
have participated in the ACIA. Two documents will be delivered to the
ministers at the Arctic Council Ministerial Conference in Reykjavik,
Iceland, in November 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)
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, including:
- 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 human activities, such as health
care, fisheries, agriculture, forestry, infrastructure, hunting, and
gathering - Impacts on wildlife and other conservation issues
- Possible feedbacks on the global climate system
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 of significant national, bilateral, and
multilateral activities that have contributed to the ACIA, and
presentations of topics of relevance to climate change in the Arctic
that are not directly dealt with by ACIA are also welcome.
The symposium also forms 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 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
local and regional levels
- indigenous peoples and their organizations
- representatives of industries and international and non-governmental
organizations with interests in the Arctic, and/or global climate change
issues
ORGANIZATION AND STRUCTURE
The symposium will start with a presentation of the main ACIA scientific
results (9 November), continue with two parallel sessions (10 and 11
November), and conclude with a panel discussion (12 November) in which
scientists, environmental managers, and representatives from indigenous
peoples' groups and NGOs will participate. The themes for the parallel
sessions are:
Session I: Arctic climate and its role in the global system. Past,
present and future changes in physical and biological systems. Arctic
feedbacks on the global climate system, and other global consequences.
Session II: Impacts of a changing climate on people's lives and on
economies. Impacts on wildlife, biodiversity and other conservation
issues. National and international policy issues and recommended actions.
Keynote speakers will be invited. Other oral presentations and poster
presentations will be selected from abstracts submitted before 15th
April 2004. Extended abstracts (max. three pages) of accepted
presentations will be printed in proceedings from the symposium.
The symposium language will be English with Russian translation if
necessary.
TIMETABLE
Submission of short (1 page) abstracts: Thursday, 15 April 2004
Notification of acceptance of papers: Tuesday, 1 June 2004
Symposium preliminary programme: Thursday, 1 July 2004
Early registration (250 Euro): Sunday, 1 August 2004
Delivery of extended (max. 3 page) abstracts: Wednesday, 1 September 2004
Symposium: 9-12 November 2004
Please submit abstracts to:
ACIA Secretariat, International Arctic Research Center
University of Alaska Fairbanks
P.O. Box 757740
Fairbanks, AK 99775-7740
USA
Fax: +1 907 474 6722
E-Mail: (bhameister [at] iarc.uaf.edu)
VENUE
The ACIA scientific symposium will be convened at Nordica Hotel
Sudurlandsbraut 2, in Reykjavik, Iceland.
PROGRAM AND SYMPOSIUM FEES
The symposium preliminary programme will be issued on 1 July 2004
together with further information on logistics and registration. Updates
about the symposium will also be posted on the following websites:
http://www.acia.uaf.edu
http://www.amap.no
http://www.iasc.no
http://www.caff.is
Electronic registration is available at:
http://www.amap.no/MiscTempFiles/ACIA-Symp.htm
The symposium fee has been set at 380 USD, or 320 USD if paid before 1
August 2004. This covers a copy of the ACIA scientific assessment
report, a copy of the symposium abstracts/proceedings, the symposium
dinner, and refreshments.
The symposium has a capacity for 350 participants. A block booking has
been made at Reykjavik hotels. Further information on registration,
hotel reservations, and excursions will be included in subsequent
announcements of the symposium. If you responded to the first
announcement, you are already on our distribution list.
LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE
Svanhvit Bragadottir, Ust. (svanhvit [at] ust.is)
Nirna B. Berndsen, Congress Reykjavik (birna [at] congress.is)
Snorri Baldursson (snorri [at] ni.is)
Helgi Jensson (helgij [at] ust.is)
PROGRAM COMMITTEE
Robert Corell, IASC
Halldor Bjornsson, Iceland
Terry Callaghan, Sweden
Gordon McBean, Canada
Pal Prestrud, CAFF
Lars-Otto Reiersen, AMAP
Jan-Idar Solbakken, Indigenous Peoples' Secretariat
Gunter Weller, ACIA Secretariat
ORGANIZED 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