Research Guides: Polar Studies: Internet resources

National agencies

The Arctic Circle
The Arctic Circle is a nexus where art intersects with science, architecture and activism ...
Arctic Research Consortium of the United States
ARCUS facilitates cross-boundary Arctic knowledge, research, communication, and education in the US, and with partners across the globe.
Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR)
The Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR) strives for excellence in research, education, and outreach related to Earth System Science and Global Change in high-latitude, alpine, and other environments.
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The Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR) develops scientific knowledge of physical and biogeochemical environmental processes at local, regional and global scales, and applies this knowledge to improve society's awareness and understanding of natural and anthropogenic environmental change.
NOAA - Arctic Theme Page
NOAA provides Arctic information and a set of reputable indicators that describe the present state of the Arctic ecosystem and climate.
Polar Studies Reports from The National Academies Press
The National Academies Press (NAP) publishes the reports issued by the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, the Institute of Medicine, and the National Research Council.
United States Arctic Research Commission (USARC)
The Arctic Research Policy Act of 1984 established USARC. Its principal duties are to develop and recommend an integrated national Arctic research policy and to assist in establishing a national Arctic research program plan to implement the policy.
United States Antarctic Program (USAP)
The program has several goals:
- to understand the Antarctic and its associated ecosystems;
- to understand the region's effects on, and responses to, global processes such as climate;
- to use Antarctica's unique features for scientific research that cannot be done as well elsewhere.

International agencies

Arctic Council
The Arctic Council is the leading intergovernmental forum promoting cooperation, coordination and interaction among the Arctic States, Arctic Indigenous peoples and other Arctic inhabitants on common Arctic issues, in particular on issues of sustainable development and environmental protection in the Arctic. Arctic Council Member States are Canada, Denmark (including Greenland and the Faroe Islands), Finland, Iceland, Norway, the Russian Federation, Sweden, and the United States. Permanent Participants are organizations representing Arctic Indigenous peoples in the Council.
International Arctic Research Center (IARC)
IARC's mission is to foster Arctic research in an international setting to help the nation and the international community understand, prepare for, and adapt to the pan-Arctic impacts of climate change.
MOSAiC (Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate)
The goal of the MOSAiC expedition is to take the closest look ever at the Arctic as the epicenter of global warming and to gain fundamental insights that are key to better understand global climate change. ...
Polar Institute at the Wilson Center
The Polar Institute is a premier forum for discussion and policy analysis of Arctic and Antarctic issues. The Institute holistically studies the central policy issues facing these regions—with an emphasis on Arctic governance, climate change, economic development, scientific research, security, and Indigenous communities—and communicates trusted analysis to policymakers and other stakeholders.
Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR)
SCAR, the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research, is a committee of ICSU , the International Council for Science, and it is charged with the initiation, promotion and co-ordination of scientific research in Antarctica. SCAR also provides international, independent scientific advice to the Antarctic Treaty system.
Scott Polar Research Institute
The Institute is a well-known and long-established centre for research into both polar regions. It is part of the University of Cambridge and is a sub-department of the Department of Geography.
University of the Arctic
The University of the Arctic (UArctic) is a cooperative network of universities, colleges, and other organizations committed to higher education and research in the North.
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Their members share resources, facilities, and expertise to build post-secondary education programs that are relevant and accessible to northern students. Their overall goal is to create a strong, sustainable circumpolar region by empowering northerners and northern communities through education and shared knowledge.