Moving forward together
The 5th IPY is envisioned as a coordinated international, multi-year activity with three distinct phases:
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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:
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Refine planning documents
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Co-develop timelines, structures, priorities, visions and ambitions
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Establish processes to support IPY-5 initiatives
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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.
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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.
