International Polar Year: 2032-2033

Background

This is a critical decade for people and the planet, as we experience record numbers of extreme events and are yet to see more of them in the future, as the climate crisis progresses. Many changes are taking shape faster than previously predicted, and as the IPCC 6th Assessment Report made clear, many of the most serious consequences are linked to unprecedented changes in the Arctic and Antarctic. The urgency of understanding the consequences of such rapid change in the polar regions for global climate, biodiversity and human societies is now clear and has never been greater.

The 5th IPY (2032-33) will bring the longstanding tradition of organizing regular IPYs to an era of urgent need for large-scale coordinated research on polar and global changes. It will build on four groundbreaking IPYs between 1883 and 2008, which together form a 150-year-long chain of credible scientific evidence.

Activities and impact

• Planning phase (2021-25): Conceptual discussions among several polar research and Indigenous Peoples’ Organisations started in 2021. Between 2023-25, a period of broad consultation is being carried out to understand the needs of the relevant stakeholders, including national and international funding bodies to:
  • Refine planning documents
  • Co-develop timelines, structures, priorities, visions and ambitions
  • Establish processes to support IPY-5 initiatives
• Project phase (2026-33): The IPY-5 project phase will include the initiation and implementation of IPY initiatives culminating in 2032-33 in a two-year period of intensive polar fieldwork and analysis, modelling efforts and process understanding studies, as well as education and outreach activities. The project phase will connect communities through key polar research initiatives and events including a joint IASC-SCAR Conference 2030, and will engage closely with related regional and global efforts such as the Fourth International Conference on Arctic Research Planning process (ICARP IV), the Antarctic InSync initiative, and relevant UN Decades.
• Legacy phase (2034+): In the years following the 5th IPY, the data collected will continue to be fully utilised and archived. This will involve analysis and synthesis activities, with a focus on knowledge transfer, reporting, and establishment of supporting frameworks for legacy outcomes.  In addition, an evaluation of the impact of the 5th IPY will be undertaken at the start of the legacy phase.

Contact

For more information and to provide feedback please contact the Secretariats of the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) ([email protected]) and the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) ([email protected]).

The IPY Executive Committee is composed of representatives of the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC), the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), the International Science Council (ISC) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), plus others as needed. 

This committee moves planning efforts forward between IPY Planning Group Meetings and takes overall responsibility for the direction and development of the IPY.