The International Polar Year (IPY) 2012 Conference drew international attention to the Polar Regions, global change, and related environmental, social and economic issues. The IPY 2012 Conference contributes to the translation of new polar scientific findings into an evidence-based agenda for action that will influence global decisions, policies and outcomes.

The Sustained Arctic Observing Networks Initiating Group (SAON IG) was formed to develop a set of recommendations on how to achieve long-term Arctic-wide observing activities that provide free, open, and timely access to high-quality data that will realize pan-Arctic and global value-added services and provide societal benefits.

The International Council for Science World Data System (ICSU WDS) concept aims at a transition from existing stand-alone services to a common globally interoperable distributed data system that incorporates emerging technologies and new scientific data activities. WDS strives to become a worldwide ‘community of excellence’ for scientific data, with searchable common data directories and catalogues, which ensures the long-term stewardship and provision of quality-assessed data and data services to the international science community.

The Beaufort Regional Environmental Assessment (BREA) is a four year (2011 to 2015), multi-stakeholder initiative that is sponsoring regional environmental and socio-economic research to assist in preparing all parties, including the federal government and local communities, to respond to new investments in oil and gas in the Beaufort Sea. The proposal was initiated and is supported by partners from the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, territorial and federal governments, the oil and gas private sector, and academia.