Engage in the 5th International Polar Year: opportunities and updates for ISC Members

The ISC is honored to co-lead the 5^th International Polar Year (IPY-5) 2032-33 process together with ISC Members and partners including the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC), and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).  

The 5th IPY extends a 150-year tradition of IPYs into an era of unprecedented change in global and polar systems. With the IPY-5, the ISC also extends a 75-year tradition of leadership in international polar science coordination, including ICSU’s leadership of IPY-4 (2007-8) and IPY-3 (1957-58).  

Opportunities for ISC Members 

With the IPY-5 Planning Phase, running between 2021 and 2026, well underway, the ISC Members are strongly encouraged to get involved. 

1. Inform us of your expertise, activities, plans via a survey 

Complete our engagement survey to help us serve as an effective bridge between ISC Members and the IPY planning process, ensure your views are heard and facilitate fruitful connections both between ISC Members’ polar networks, and between Members and the global IPY planning structure. 

ISC Members who are already members of the IPY Planning Group need not complete the survey. 

View the survey

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Contact details

First name *

Last name *

Title *

Email address *

On behalf of which ISC Member organization are you completing this survey? *

I am an ISC Fellow

• Yes
• No

Role/position within the Member organization *

1. Does your organization have a focal point for polar-related science (including cryosphere, Arctic, Antarctic, etc.)? If so, please list name, title, and email address. *

• Yes
• No

First name (polar-related focal point) *

Last name (polar-related focal point) *

Primary organization/institution (polar-related focal point) *

Email address (polar-related focal point) *

Position/Role (polar-related focal point) *

2. Does your organization have a task group or other body focused on polar-related matters (including cryosphere, Arctic, Antarctic, etc.)? If so, please describe and provide web link.(s) *

• Yes
• No

other meetings, or

Description of the task group (or other body) *

Web link(s) *

3. If your organization does not have a task group or other body focused on polar-related matters, are you aware of polar specialists among your membership, and/or interest among your membership in building polar research capacity? *

• Yes
• No

Description *

4. Is your organization currently involved in IPY-5 planning at the international and/or national levels? If so, please describe. *

• Yes
• No

Description *

5. Has your organization organized any discussions, meetings, or events related to IPY-5? If so, please describe, and list any outcomes including recommendations for the IPY-5 planning bodies. *

• Yes
• No

Description *

Recommendations

6. Please share any recommendations on how the ISC can support IPY-5 engagement by your organization and/or polar specialists in your network.

7. Any other comments

Submit

2. Share thoughts on IPY-5 vision, goals, and planning process 

If your organization has hosted discussions or developed ideas around IPY-5, we want to hear from you. Contact the IPY Interim Secretariat at [email protected] or reach out to ISC’s cryosphere focal point, Morgan Seag, at [email protected]. 

3. Apply to join the IPY Planning Group 

Additionally, based on their expertise and capacity, IPY Planning Group members may participate in specific Task Groups and propose new Task Groups as needed. See descriptions of Task Groups in the updates section.

The IPY Planning Group meets twice a year (in spring and autumn) and: 

• provides input, advice and overall direction for the IPY planning process and the Interim IPY Steering Committee 
• prepares and presents and assists on taking forward specific issues to the IPY Steering Committee 

Additionally, based on their expertise and capacity, IPY Planning Group members may participate in specific Tasks Groups and propose new Task Groups as needed. 

ISC Member organizations that meet the following criteria are invited to apply to join the IPY Planning Group: 

• The organization is international or regional in scope 
• The organization is directly involved in polar research or its work has a significant focus on the polar regions 
• The organization commits to long-term engagement in IPY planning 

To express interest in joining the IPY Planning Group, please email the IPY Secretariat at [email protected] and submit a survey with feedback on vision and priorities for the IPY as well as intended contributions to the planning process.     

4. Connect with polar science organizations  

Reach out to ISC Members already involved in the IPY Planning Group to explore collaboration opportunities: 

• Climate and Cryosphere (CliC) Project of the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) 
• Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) 
• International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) 
• International Arctic Social Sciences Association (IASSA) 
• International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG) 
• Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) 
• Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR) 
• Scientific Committee on Solar-Terrestrial Physics (SCOSTEP) 
• University of the Arctic (UArctic) 

The ISC secretariat will be delighted to connect you with the ISC focal points at the above organizations.

See the full list of IPY Planning Group members.  

5. Join the upcoming IPY Network 

An IPY Network will be established shortly, including a mailing list through which ISC Members will be able to join polar researchers, knowledge-holders, and stakeholders worldwide to receive regular updates and opportunities.  

Reach out to ISC’s focal point Morgan Seag at [email protected] to be included. 

Latest updates from the planning phase 

The IPY Executive Committee, including the ISC, has been meeting regularly as the body taking overall responsibility for the direction and development of the IPY.  

The IPY Planning Group held the first of its biannual meetings for 2025 in April, moving forward planning around key issues including through its inaugural Task Groups, established to advance specific aspects of the planning process including: 

• Vision and priorities for IPY-5 
• IPY Indigenous leadership and involvement coordination 
• Country and funders involvement 
• Capacity-building and early career coordination 

Additional Task Groups will be established soon. 

An IPY Interim Secretariat is being provided by the Secretariats of IASC and SCAR, with support from the ISC. The Interim Secretariat has been busily working to coordinate the work of the IPY Executive Committee and Planning Group, and has launched the IPY-5 official website, which will be updated regularly. An updated IPY Concept Note will be published shortly. 

A call for a host and funding for a dedicated IPY Secretariat will be issued later in 2025. 

Contact

Morgan Seag

Morgan Seag

ISC Senior Representative to the UN System

International Science Council

Morgan Seag

Photo by Ole Zeising (distributed via imaggeo.egu.eu)