Summary of the EU-PolarNet White Papers

The EU-PolarNet white papers were developed by a specially selected team of EU and overseas experts from diverse areas of polar research. These experts were challenged to identify polar research topics with a clear societal relevance and a specific importance for Europe that could make them suitable for future EU support. These topics will, if adopted, further enhance EU research excellence, increase efficient use of European resources and expertise, and lead to a step change in data availability, access and interoperability. They will further increase the scale of polar research cooperation in Europe and, by including non-EU partners, will improve global cooperation. Each of the topics employs a strongly interdisciplinary approach to deliver benefits in the complex and multi-faceted real-world of policy issues. Some of the white papers describe approaches that step outside traditional disciplinary boundaries, offering a transformational or even ‘post-disciplinary’ approach. Each is designed to deliver tangible benefits to problems that arise in the Polar Regions from the complex interactions of a changing physical environment, stressed ecosystems, complex issues of sovereignty and governance, and layered cultural and social structures