Directory of European Polar Research funding programmes.

Abstract

The polar regions are sentinels of climate change and human resilience and they are also a proven bastion for international cooperation in research and nature protection. European researchers have made significant contributions to understand the consequences of climate change and the structure and functioning of ecosystems at both polar regions, and their global interconnections. Unifying, disseminating and coordinating all European research actions is one of the tasks of the EU-PolarNet 2 project. EU-PolarNet 2 – “Coordinating and co-designing the European Polar Research Area” is a coordination and support action funded by the European Commission in Horizon 2020. It comprises 25 partners representing all European and associated countries with well-developed Polar research programmes and activities. EU-PolarNet 2 aims to provide a platform to co-develop strategies to advance European polar research and its contribution to policy-making processes. By involving all relevant stake- and rightsholders it supports the development of transdisciplinary and transnational polar research actions of high societal relevance. To ensure that such an important platform is sustained after the four years of project duration, the project works with funding agencies, national polar research institutes, operators of national polar programmes, polar experts and the European polar research community to discuss and implement the identified research actions. The final goal of EU-PolarNet 2 is to create a permanent European Polar Coordination Office which will continue the work of EU-PolarNet 2 in a sustained way. A strong European polar research environment requires efficient and effective national and European polar research programmes that are complementary and coordinated. Improved understanding of the landscape and diversity of the strategies, structure and priorities of polar research funding in Europe may therefore also contribute to facilitate stronger cooperation between them and by that contribute to the establishment of a European Polar Research Area. The “Directory of Polar research funding programmes in Europe” at hand is EU-PolarNet 2´s initial step to improve the coordination and cooperation of national polar funding organisations in Europe. The directory provides an overview about the governance, strategies, and procedures of polar research funding in Europe. With publishing this directory, EU-PolarNet 2 aims to contribute to improving the efficiency and effectiveness of European polar research. A better overview and understanding of each other’s activities and structures shall avoid overlap, minimise fragmentation, and ensures the synergetic use of national resources and investments. The directory at hand is closely related and complementary to another EU-PolarNet 2 deliverable, which is the “Catalogue of national polar research programmes and other large-scale programmes”. Both deliverables have been developed together and are the result of a survey that was send out to the whole EU-PolarNet 2 consortium asking a wide range of questions to collect as much information as possible. The information received for the directory reflects the different approach of each country to polar policy and research funding. The result is a structured but diverse document bidding the opportunity for countries to gain a better insight in each others procedures and to intensify their collaborations. EU-PolarNet 2 will in the next steps publish a White Paper analysing the landscape and cooperation potential of the programmes. After consultations and dialogue with funding agencies and stakeholders, the final goal is to provide recommendations for a partnership in polar research under Horizon Europe supporting the implementation and development of future European research actions.