Why is it in the News?

In a recent development, Arctic research stations under INTERACT reported a significant loss of over 1,000 billion tonnes of ice over the past four decades.

About the International Network for Terrestrial Research and Monitoring in the Arctic (INTERACT):

• The International Network for Terrestrial Research and Monitoring in the Arctic (INTERACT)  is an infrastructure project under the auspices of SCANNET.
• INTERACT specifically seeks to build capacity for research and monitoring in the European Arctic and beyond and is offering access to numerous research stations through the Transnational Access program.
• It aims to build capacity for identifying, understanding, predicting, and responding to diverse environmental changes throughout the wide environmental and land-use envelopes of the Arctic.
• The project, which is funded by the EU, has the main objective of building capacity for identifying, understanding, predicting, and responding to diverse environmental changes throughout the wide environmental and land-use envelopes of the Arctic.
• INTERACT is a multidisciplinary initiative; collectively, its stations host thousands of scientists worldwide who collaborate on projects spanning glaciology, permafrost studies, climate research, ecology, biodiversity, and biogeochemical cycling.

About the Scandinavian Network for Coordinated Observation of the Atmosphere and Terrestrial Environment (SCANNET):

• SCANNET is a circum-Arctic network of currently 77 terrestrial field bases in northern Europe, Russia, the US, Canada, Greenland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, and Scotland as well as stations in northern alpine areas.
• The primary aim of SCANNET is to facilitate coordinated observations and research activities focused on the atmosphere and terrestrial environment in the Arctic region.
  • These observations cover a wide range of scientific disciplines, including meteorology, climatology, ecology, geology, and environmental science.
• By leveraging the diverse geographical locations of its field bases, SCANNET enables scientists to study various environmental phenomena, such as changes in weather patterns, shifts in ecosystems, permafrost dynamics, and the impact of climate change on Arctic landscapes.
• Moreover, SCANNET serves as a platform for collaboration and information sharing among researchers from different institutions and countries.
• It fosters partnerships and promotes the exchange of data, methodologies, and best practices, thereby enhancing our understanding of Arctic processes and their global implications.