Welcome to the February 2026 NERC Arctic Office Bulletin. If you have an event or news that you would like us to promote and share with the wider community, please let us know. We’re always glad to hear from you. If you haven’t received this Bulletin direct, you can sign up to our mailing list on the website’s home page. For all previous bulletins, please visit the Arctic Office bulletins page.
Arctic Frontiers
A very well-attended Arctic Frontiers conference in Tromsø 2-5 February saw the UK Arctic research community deeply engaged across discussions on space and the Arctic, AI, Greenland, Norway’s Arctic Ocean 2050 programme plans and much more. The profile of this event continues to grow, with participation from the Norwegian Prime Minister, Foreign Minister & Space Minister, plus the EU’s Foreign Policy chief, Greenland’s Foreign & Science Minister and many others. Despite the many challenges, the focus on international science partnerships, the importance of science speaking truth to power and the recognition of the opportunities presented by the Fifth International Polar Year 2032-33 remain front and centre. Thank you to the FCDO for supporting the participation of 11 UK-based early career researchers in the events.
EU Arctic policy – European Commission launches call for evidence and public consultation
The European Commission has launched a public consultation and call for evidence as part of the process to update the EU Arctic policy. This update is necessary to maintain the policy relevant and effective in addressing the evolving challenges and opportunities in the Arctic.
The public consultation and the call for evidence will run until 16 March 2026, with the Commission expecting to receive a range of contributions from stakeholders, including from:
- EU Member States
- Indigenous and local communities
- Industry representatives
- Civil society organisations
- Academia
The objective is to gather diverse perspectives on key issues such as climate change, sustainable development, environmental protection, security and international cooperation in the Arctic. The feedback received will feed into the ongoing review process. Further information here: EU Arctic policy – European Commission launches call for evidence and public consultation – Oceans and fisheries
Arctic Science Summit Week 2026
Arctic Science Summit Week (ASSW) 2026 will take place in Aarhus, Denmark from 25th March to 1st April. ASSW 2026 will include Community Meetings and Workshops (25 – 30 March), the ASSW 2026 Science Day with the theme Arctic Observations (29 March), and Arctic Observing Summit (AOS) 2026 (30 March – 1 April). The conference is planned in a hybrid format, offering both options for in-person as well as online participants. Various registration options are offered:
- Full ASSW 2026 (26 March- 1 April 2026)
- Single one-day ticket for any one ASSW 2026 day (maximum of 2 days)
- Arctic Observing Summit 2026 only (30 March-1 April 2026)
Further details available here: Home Page – assw.info
New IASC Working Group UK Representatives
Following an open call for UK representatives to sit on the IASC Working Groups, we are very pleased to announce the newest UK representatives:
- Atmosphere: Dr Xin Yang (BAS) and Dr Liam Kelleher (University of Birmingham)
- Cryosphere: Dr Karen Cameron (University of Glasgow)
- Marine: Prof Geraint Tarling (BAS)
- Terrestrial: Dr Michael Lim (Northumbria University)
- Social & Human: Dr Isabelle Gapp, Aberdeen University (providing maternity cover)
We would also like to thank Prof Steve Arnold, Leeds University, Dr Jo Browse, Exeter University (Atmosphere WG), Prof Richard Essery, Edinburgh University (Cryosphere WG), Prof Mark Inall, SAMS (Marine WG) and Prof Bob Baxter, Durham University (Terrestrial WG) for their significant contributions to these roles over the last few years. The full list of IASC Working Groups UK representatives can be found here: https://www.arctic.ac.uk/resources/international-arctic-science-committee/
NERC Arctic Station summaries and film
We are delighted to share the latest science summaries from the projects supported by the NERC Arctic Research Station during 2025. This year, the Station hosted twelve diverse research projects spanning a wide range of disciplines, as well as a special ViP engagement. You’ll find all the details in the new booklet. In addition, Dr Iain Rudkin, BAS Arctic Operations Manager, has created a short film that offers an excellent overview of the Station, its stunning surroundings, and the ways in which we support a broad spectrum of scientific work. Watch the film and explore the stories from the field here: https://www.arctic.ac.uk/uk-arctic-research-station/stories-from-the-field/
If you are interested in using the Arctic Station, then please do get in touch – arcticresearchstation@bas.ac.uk. Further information about the Station is available here: https://www.arctic.ac.uk/uk-arctic-research-station/
Arctic Hub Connect 2026
Arctic Hub Connect is an interactive, online workshop bringing together researchers, practitioners, and stakeholders working with and in Greenland. This event will take place online on Thursday 7 March from 1000 – 1300 Greenlandic time (1300 to 1600 UK time) and you can now register for this event here. Deadline to register is 2nd March 2026.
Further information: Arctic Hub Connect 2026 – Arctic Hub
UK Antarctic Science Conference
This year’s UK Antarctic Science conference will be held at Durham University on 9th-11th September 2026. The conference will run from lunchtime on the 9th until lunchtime on the 11th to enable daytime travel and to keep accommodation costs down. The conference aims to bring together Antarctic researchers from all disciplines and career stages to present their work in a friendly environment and will provide an inclusive forum for discussion on a range of topics. This conference is well-known as a safe space for postgraduates and early-career researchers to present their work and we encourage students and supervisors alike to attend. Further details, including how to register, will be circulated in the coming months via all the major mailing lists. If you would like to be kept up-to-date on the conference, please use this link to sign up for the mailing list and local organisers will email you directly with further information when it becomes available. In the meantime, if any groups are interested in conducting activities or workshops within the conference then please contact Stewart Jamieson (stewart.jamieson@durham.ac.uk) by email.
To note, the next UK Arctic Science Conference will be held in 2027, and further details will be circulated in due course.
Arctic Circle Assembly 2026
The 2026 Arctic Circle Assembly will take place 8 – 10 October 2026 in the Harpa Conference Centre, Reykjavik, Iceland. The call for sessions is now open until 1st May 2026. Registration is due to open in June 2026.
Upcoming Events:
Arctic Circle Forum, 3-4 March 2026, Rome, Italy
Arctic Science Summit Week, 25 March – 1 April 2026, Aarhus University, Denmark
Arctic Circle Assembly 2026, 8 – 10 October 2026, Reykjavik, Iceland