Summary

Work Package 7 is Arctic PASSION´s main instrument to communicate with policy and decision-makers regarding the needs, strategies and financial sustainability of a coherent, integrated pan-Arctic Observing System of Systems. The core activity will be to establish suitable and effective communication platforms and fora, enabling a two-way dialogue between the project and the relevant audience(s). These platforms and fora will be used to communicate Arctic PASSION outcomes and recommendations to policy and decision-making bodies. At the same time, the bi-directional communication provides a mechanism to receive and understand policy needs and to bring them into the project so that Arctic PASSION Work Packages can adjust their activities during the project duration to integrate them into their actions.

Arctic PASSION will address policy and decision-makers on international, European, national, and regional levels. Through two-way dialogues, consultation meetings, policy briefs and online surveys, and face-to-face briefings, we will interact with the Arctic Council, the European Parliament, the Arctic Science Ministerial process, with regional governments and agencies, and the private and non-profit sectors.

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. Work Package 7 will organize briefings and consultations at Arctic Council meetings, liaise with the agencies coordinating observations in the Arctic countries via the Arctic Council Working Groups and consult Indigenous Peoples regarding their needs and the better integration of Indigenous and Traditional Knowledge into Arctic observations.

Arctic Science Ministerial and Arctic Science Funders Forum

In the Arctic Science Ministerials (ASM), science ministers from Arctic and non-Arctic governments, the European Union, and Arctic Indigenous peoples' organizations discuss international cooperation in Arctic science, including Arctic observing. In this context, the Arctic Science Funders Forum was established to encourage international collaboration and research funding beyond national capabilities. Work Package 7 will maintain dialogue with the Funders Forum and report on Arctic PASSION activities and recommendations to help national funding agencies develop their funding strategies for Arctic observations and thus to contribute to the overall ASM goals of sustaining Arctic observations.

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 will be established and maintained in collaboration with EU Polar Cluster projects. Arctic PASSION will organize briefings and meetings for the Members of Parliament, respond to requests for advice or information from policy makers and track European policies and activities that are relevant for Arctic observation systems.

Regional and local authorities and agencies

Structured dialogues with sub-national authorities and agencies will be organized to identify 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, Work Package 7 will identify key questions and needs, respond to these questions by providing concrete ideas for the benefit of sub-national governance levels and discuss recommendations and paths forward towards sustained sub-national engagement in Arctic observation.