Understanding Earth's Polar Challenges: International Polar Year 2007-2008 - Summary by the IPY Joint Committee

• Other Authors: Krupnik, Igor, Allison, Ian, Bell, Robin, Hik, David, López-Martínez, Jerónimo, Rachold, Volker, Sarukhanian, Eduard, Summerhayes, Colin
• Format: Book
• Language: English
• Published: University of the Arctic 2011
• Subjects: Antarc*; Antarctica; Arctic; International Polar Year; IPY
• Online Access: http://library.vlt.is/13/; http://library.vlt.is/13/1/IPY_final_report-mar25_bookmarks_2.pdf; http://arcticportal.org/pdftoflash/ipy_jcs2011/#/4/zoomed

The International Polar Year (IPY) 2007–2008, co-sponsored by ICSU and WMO, became the largest coordinated research program in the Earth’s polar regions, following in the footsteps of its predecessor, the first and second International Polar Years in 1881-1883 and 1932-1933 and the International Geophysical Year 1957–1958. An estimated 50,000 researchers, local observers, educators, students, and support personnel from more than 60 nations were involved in the 228 international IPY projects (170 in science, 1 in data management, and 57 in education and outreach) and related national efforts. IPY generated intensive research and observations in the Arctic and Antarctica over a two-year period, 1 March 2007–1 March 2009, with many activities continuing beyond that date. The summary "Understanding Earth's Polar Challenges: International Polar Year 2007-2008" captures the context, motivations, initiation, planning, implementation and the outcomes of the International Polar Year (IPY) 2007–2008, as well as the lessons derived from this key undertaking.