Why an International Polar Year (IPY) in 2032–33?
Extreme weather, increasing temperatures, sea level rise, and devastating events such as droughts, floods, and wildfires are becoming ever more prevalent and severe across the globe. At the same time, ongoing processes of ocean warming, sea-level rise, ocean acidification, and sea-ice change are negatively impacting ecosystems, economies, the rights, and livelihoods of Indigenous Peoples, and human wellbeing around the world. Many of these changes are taking shape faster than predicted. As the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) 6th Assessment Report points out, several of the more serious global consequences are linked to unprecedented changes in the Arctic and Antarctic (‘polar regions’). The urgency of understanding the consequences of such rapid changes in the polar regions for global climate, biodiversity, and human societies has never been greater. The transformations in the polar regions (particularly the Arctic), also highlight a need to articulate and elevate the critical status, rights and roles of Indigenous Peoples and their knowledge systems with respect to understanding, addressing and adapting to these changes. Global transdisciplinary coordination focused on the polar regions is therefore essential to achieving the major knowledge breakthroughs that are required to inform and develop effective international, regional, national, and local strategies to mitigate and adapt to the recent unprecedented levels of global change.
In this context, there is an urgent need to organise a 5th International Polar Year (IPY) (“IPY-5”) in 2032-33.