About the Cluster
Welcome to the EU Polar Cluster – a collaboration of Arctic and Antarctic projects funded by the European Commission
The EU Polar Cluster is a network of Horizon 2020 and a Framework Programme 7 funded polar projects. We have a range of Arctic, Antarctic and Southern Ocean, and Polar projects. Projects that have ended still provide input to the Cluster, and we include them here to support the legacy of these projects. The Cluster projects are also supported by key partners, who are involved in the Task Groups.
The Cluster thus merges a broad spectrum of research and coordination activities – ranging from the most up-to-date findings on permafrost and sea ice, from enhancing observation to improving predictions, and from networking research stations to coordinating access to icebreakers.
Our objective is to bring the insights from our various areas of expertise together in order to provide one entry point to EU funded Polar research. Jointly we are aiming at providing policy-relevant information and supporting the EU in implementing its integrated policy for the Arctic.
How do we do this? In fostering international cooperation, in reporting on the impacts of climate change on the Arctic’s fragile environment, in promoting sustainable development and in cooperating with policy makers, indigenous peoples and local communities, business and NGO representatives and other societal actors. We achieve this by key contacts from the projects coming together through Task Groups. These will either be long term or time limited, as appropriate. Working Groups will also be made to integrate projects across task groups for key events.
Vision of the EU Polar Cluster
A strong, well-connected ecosystem of European Polar projects and organisations operating together to substantially increase their combined impact and legacy.
Mission of the EU Polar Cluster
- To connect EU Polar Cluster Members, further developing the European polar research, observation, infrastructure and/or modelling community network.
- To organise joint activities by Cluster Members for greater impact than possible individually, while minimising duplication, sharing workload, and avoiding stakeholder fatigue.
- To support the sustainability and accessibility of large-scale EU-funded Polar projects’ selected legacy outputs after their official end.
- To share advice and best practices among EU Polar Cluster Members.
- To promote the European polar research community, especially the strength, excellence, integration and best practices of EU-funded polar research.
- To provide a single contact point to all EU Polar Cluster Members for external partners and stakeholders, including Indigenous and local communities.
Added value of clustering activities
- Higher impacts than single project’s outputs
- Upscale collective projects’ efforts
- Increased knowledge sharing
- Less but better engagement with stakeholders
- Greater visibility
- Better use of citizen’s money
