What we do

Work Package 7 is Arctic PASSION´s main instrument to communicate with policy and decision-makers regarding the needs, strategies and financial sustainability for Arctic observations. We establish suitable and effective communication platforms and fora, enabling a dialogue between the project and our relevant audience(s). We communicate Arctic PASSION outcomes and recommendations to policy and decision-making bodies, and at the same time, we receive and understand policy needs, so that Arctic PASSION can adjust its activities and actions. 

We address policy and decision-makers from local to international levels. Through dialogues, consultation meetings, policy briefs, online surveys, and face-to-face briefings, we interact with 

• The Arctic Council
• The European Parliament
• Regional and local decision-makers, with regional governments and agencies
• The Arctic Science Funders Forum

German Arctic Dialogue with ministries and authorities (photo: AWI/Heike Midleja) and EU briefing meeting (photo: EPB/Griffith Couser). 

ARCTIC COUNCIL                               

The Arctic Council is the leading intergovernmental forum promoting cooperation between Arctic States, Indigenous Peoples and other Arctic residents regarding sustainable development and environmental protection in the region. AMAP establishes the dialogue with providing reports and organising briefings at Arctic Council meetings, liaising with the agencies coordinating observations in the Arctic countries via the Arctic Council Working Groups and consulting with Indigenous Peoples regarding their needs and the better integration of Indigenous Knowledge into Arctic observations. A compilation of Arctic PASSION activities and its relevance to the Arctic Council can be seen here:

• Project overview for Arctic Council Working Groups and Permanent Participants (Deliverable 7.3)

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION

A sustained contact with the Members of the European Parliament and the European Commission Officials interested in Arctic and EU research programmes has been established and maintained in collaboration with EU Polar Cluster projects. The European Polar Board coordinated this task, organised a policy briefing in January 2024 in Brussels at the European Parliament, has responded to requests for advice or information from policy makers and has tracked European policies and activities that are relevant for Arctic observations systems. See here the publications related to the policy briefing meeting: 

• The report about the briefing meeting to inform the members of the European Parliament and European Officials on Arctic topics of emerging priority (Deliverable 7.5). 
• The policy brief with key messages and project descriptions handed out to in-person participants.

Policy briefing at the European Parliament together with the EU Polar Cluster member OCEAN:ICE in January 2024 (photo: EPB/Griffith Couser). 

REGIONAL AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND AGENCIES

Structured dialogues with sub-national authorities and agencies have been organised to learn about their needs and questions and identify possible contributions from this level of governance to establishing long-term sustained Arctic observation systems, including community-based observations. Within these dialogues, the Arctic Centre at the University of Lapland has identified key questions and needs, responded to these questions by providing concrete ideas for the benefit of sub-national governance levels and discusses the recommendations and paths forward towards sustained sub-national engagement in Arctic observation. Based on several interviews, workshops and sessions during the Arctic Spirit conference 2023 and an online scoping workshop the dialogue with local and regional policy-makers and agencies was established. Results from these are summarised in:

• 1. Policy brief about the knowledge gaps that affected or may affect data-driven decision-making and planning at the subnational level (Deliverable 7.2).
  The policy brief in short here.
  
• 2. Policy brief describing the state of inclusion of Indigenous Knowledge in sub-national decision-making and data availability, needs and gaps with respect to managing and planning green transition (Deliverable 7.4).
  The policy brief in short here. 
• 3. Policy brief outlines the key messages that subnational policy-makers, managers, and experts want to communicate to data and knowledge producers in the Arctic (Deliverable 7.6). 
  The policy brief in short here. 
• Report of the Online Scoping Workshop on Data-driven Subnational Decision-making in the Arctic, June 2022.
• Report of the Arctic Spirit Conference session and workshop, November 2024.

Participants of the Arctic PASSION conference sessions at Rovaniemi Arctic Spirit 2023 conference, 15 November 2023 (photo: University of Lapland/Pavel Tkach).

ARCtIC SCIENCE FUNDERS FORUM

The Arctic Science Funders Forum was established in 2020 as an outcome of the 2nd Arctic Science Ministerial Meeting to encourage international collaboration and research funding beyond national capabilities. It is a platform for funding agencies/organisations to exchange priorities and develop joint (inter-) national funding calls. The German Arctic Office at the Alfred Wegener Institute maintains a close dialogue with the members of the Arctic Science Funders Forum, reports on Arctic PASSION activities and discusses recommendations to help national funding agencies develop their funding strategies for future Arctic observations. Beside conference sessions and meetings, a major activity is planned for the beginning of 2025. 

International Arctic Funding session at the Arctic Circle Assembly 2022 in Reykjavik, Iceland (photo: AWI/Lisa Grosfeld).