Second Inter-Polar Conference: 

Building on the success of the First Inter-Polar Conference, the second edition is being planned for September 3-5, 2025, in ICIMOD premises in Kathmandu, Nepal, and jointly organized by the Arctic Centre of the University of Lapland, ICIMOD, and the Ocean Policy Research Institute (OPRI) in collaboration with the following institutions: the UArctic Chair in Arctic Legal Research and the UArctic Law Thematic Network. The conference will contribute to the objectives of the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation (IYGP) 2025, which aims at taking immediate action towards preserving the cryosphere for building a resilient future for all. 

The special theme for the second edition is Cryosphere, People, and Climate Change

The decline of the cryosphere has numerous negative global effects like climate change acceleration through carbon release and albedo reductions, sea level rise, weather perturbations and intensification of extreme weather events, as well as regional effects related to water and food security, transboundary conflicts, infrastructure challenges, and severe impacts on Indigenous and local livelihoods. We aim to promote and share knowledge and understanding on how to best respond to changes in the cryosphere in the Arctic and the Third Pole HKH region, as well as build resilience in the face of already occurring changes in both regions. We intend to bring together world experts and knowledge holders to share their perspectives and jointly produce novel insights that can be translated into concrete actions and long-term strategies with a forward-looking approach. Besides this, we aim to build a lasting and durable network of scholars and stakeholders from both regions to continuously engage in dialogue and share experiences and expertise. 

Objectives of the conference: 

• Explore the effects of climate change on the cryosphere and ecosystems, resulting in multiple hazards for human communities and ecosystems in the Arctic and the Third Pole HKH regions. 
• Identify key challenges and response mechanisms, research gaps and needs, potential regulatory and policy tools, and realistic and practicable solutions.
• Facilitate interpolar knowledge sharing and collaborative solutions for sustainability and resilience by involving early-career scholars, knowledge holders, relevant stakeholders, and experts. 
• Continue efforts to create a global knowledge network on Arctic-Third Pole connections.

Under the special theme – Cryosphere, People, and Climate Change – the Conference will focus on the following sub-themes and their relevant disciplinary angles: 

Understanding cryosphere changes and their impacts

• What are the socio-ecosystem impacts of climate change in both regions?
• What are the effects of climate change on local and indigenous livelihoods? 
• What are the risks of extreme events in both regions?  
• How does climate change impact food and water security in both regions?   
• How does climate change in either region influence the other? 

Protection, preservation, and conservation

• What legal and governance regimes are available in both regions in the context of climate change-cryosphere interactions? 
• How do traditional knowledge systems in both regions interplay with other knowledge frameworks? 
• What novel or traditional measures exist to adapt to or mitigate the effects of climate change in both regions? 
• What are the geopolitical challenges arising from cryospheric decline in both regions?
• How can international collaboration be enhanced through science diplomacy in both regions? 

Socio-cultural dimensions of cryosphere-climate change interactions  

• How do different local and indigenous communities experience and understand the climatic and environmental changes occurring in both regions? 
• How does the resilience of local and indigenous communities manifest itself in response to climatic and environmental changes?
• How are the climatic and environmental changes depicted artistically?
• How do local and Indigenous communities’ religious or spiritual beliefs interact with the climatic and environmental changes? 
• How can local and Indigenous communities come together to learn from each other’s experiences?

Abstract format: 

1. Presentation title
2. Author(s)
3. Email address(es)
4. Abstract text (Up to 200 words) 
5. Keywords (4-5)

Important dates:

• January 15, 2025: Call for Abstracts open
• April 30, 2025: Deadline for Abstract submissions
• June 15, 2025: Notification of acceptance
• June 30, 2025: Registration deadline following confirmation of participation
• August 01, 2025: Submission of draft papers (up to 2000 words)
• September 3-5, 2025: Conference
• December 01, 2025: Final papers submission (for consideration to be published in IL POLO – Italian Polar Journal)

Background

On September 06-09, 2023, the first “Inter-Polar Conference: Connecting the Arctic with the Third Pole,” was held in Kathmandu, Nepal. The  Arctic Centre of the University of Lapland and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) jointly organized the Conference in collaboration with the UArctic Chair in Arctic Legal Research and Education and the Law Thematic Network. With approximately one hundred selected participants from the Arctic and the Third Pole Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH), including early-career scholars and indigenous voices, the Conference marked a ground-breaking initiative to study the Arctic and the Third Pole together and from an interdisciplinary perspective.

The Arctic and the Third Pole HKH region both contain important elements of the cryosphere, the near-permanent presence of water in a frozen state. However, as temperatures in both regions are increasing disproportionately compared to the global average, these areas are rapidly thawing, and several elements of the cryosphere have possibly already crossed climatic tipping points. Changes in the cryosphere will have major impacts on local communities and ecosystems and also lead to larger-scale changes: the rapid melting of the Himalayan glaciers and changes in the snowpack will have significant regional effects, such as those related to infrastructure, water supply, and ecological health. A quarter of humanity relies on freshwater supply from the Himalayan region, and the melting of the cryosphere will contribute significantly to the rise of the global sea level, with the Greenland ice sheet alone holding enough water to raise global sea levels by up to 6 meters.

The interlinked aspect of the cryosphere thaw and climate change has been evidenced as crucial in promoting polar science. However, the Arctic and Third Pole are almost always considered separately, demonstrating little knowledge about the commonalities, links, and differences between both regions, especially concerning geo-political, socio-cultural, environmental, and legal dynamics of effects of and responses to these changes. The first conference highlighted interlinkages between the Arctic and the Third Pole HKH around the effects the decline of the cryosphere is having on people and communities from a range of academic disciplines and other knowledge systems (e.g., local and traditional).

The process of the conference and its main findings are available in the conference report.  

Cover photo by Rohit Khadgi on Unsplash.

Participants will explore key technologies, including synthetic aperture radar (SAR), SAR interferometry, and SAR polarimetry. In terms of application, the workshop will emphasize glacial ecosystem monitoring and hydrological modeling. Additionally, emerging trends and future technologies in remote sensing for hazard monitoring, such as deep learning methods for lake observations and emerging roles of GNSS-R and signals of opportunity, will also be highlighted. The workshop will offer a balanced mix of lectures on theory and practice.

The speakers/tutors of the workshop are experts in their domain from renowned organizations such the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Alaska Satellite Facility (ASF), USA and the Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL), USA; and universities, namely the University of Graz, Austria, ETH Zurich, Switzerland, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IITR), India, and Information Technology University (ITU), Pakistan.

Interested applicants should have (or be close to obtaining) a Master’s or PhD degree in a field from the domain of engineering, technology or physical sciences. Some previous knowledge of remote sensing will be helpful. Moreover, we encourage you to have a basic knowledge of Python programming before the workshop, if possible.

Female researchers and practitioners, and members of under-represented communities are strongly encouraged to apply.

Workshop schedule

Sunday, May 4, 2025: Arrival of participants

Monday – Thursday, May 5 – 8, 2025 : Classes, including a half day field visit excursion.

Participants

Around 20 in number;  applicants from HMA regional countries (China, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Myanmar, and Nepal) will be given preference in the selection process. In case of female participants with child/children, childcare provision will be provided, or those from countries with mobility restrictions, partial subsidy for a family member as a companion may be provided on need basis. Participants are expected to use their own laptop during the workshop. Assistance will be provided for participants with different abilities.

Costs

The programme is free of charge, but applicants are expected to make their travel arrangements with support of their home universities or other affiliations. Equity-based travel grants (partial/full) will be provided to selected applicants from HMA regional countries.

Registration

The workshop is free of cost, but registration is compulsory. The deadline to apply is 23 March 2025 11:59 PM Nepal Standard Time (NPT). However, applications may be closed earlier if we meet the maximum number of participants. Click here to submit your application, or scan the QR code on the official website.

Venue

ICIMOD
Lalitpur 44700,  Kathmandu, Nepal

Principal Organizers

• GRSS REACT Technical Committee
• Regional Information System, ICIMOD
• HUC

Sponsors

• IEEE Geoscience & Remote Sensing (GRSS)
• Regional Information System ICIMOD
• Himalayan University Consortium (HUC)
• IEEE GRSS Global Activities

Cover photo by Avel Chuklanov on Unsplash.

The Cryosphere Pavilion also aims to celebrate the International Year of Glacier Conservation 2025 and the upcoming Decade of Action for Cryosphere Science 2025-2034.

A Scientific Journey Of Discovery And Action

The Cryosphere Pavilion will serve as a dynamic center for scientific exploration, storytelling, and action. Visitors will be able to admire the breathtaking beauty of frozen landscapes, understand the pressing threats they face, and discover the pioneering work of researchers, explorers, and advocates working to protect them.

The Pavilion: An Immersive Experience

The Cryosphere Pavilion, covering 600 m², will be located in the Green Zone of “La Baleine” at the Palais des Expositions de Nice. It will be able to accommodate up to 80 participants per session. The Green Zone does not require accreditation for the UN Conference and is open to the general public.

Speaking at the Cryosphere Pavilion will be a unique opportunity. Unlike the Blue Zone, which imposes cumbersome access procedures and does not allow for free interventions, the Pavilion will be an open and friendly space, bringing together a wide audience throughout UNOC3.

Location: Green Zone, Exhibition Center, 6 Avenue du Maréchal Lyautey, Nice, France

The Green Zone “La Baleine” is approximately a 15-minute tram ride from the Blue Zone, or a 25-minute walk. La Baleine will house several pavilions from different organizations, auditoriums, and other spaces for agoras, meetings, and consultations.

Side Events

The call for applications for side events is open until 31 March 2025. Please submit an application via this form (French version / English version).

Cover photo by Wolfgang Hasselmann on Unsplash.

Ten years after COP21 and the Paris Agreement, UNOC3 intends to bring together all UN member states, their heads of state and government, international agencies, local authorities, civil society, the private sector and international donors.

UNOC3 will be focused on « Accelerating action and mobilizing all actors to conserve and sustainably use the ocean » and will seek to support the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG14), with three main priorities, in order to produce an ambitious Nice Ocean Action Plan:

• Priority 1: Working towards completion of multilateral processes linked to the Ocean
• Priority 2: Mobilizing finance ressources for the SDG14 and support the development of a sustainable blue economy
• Priority 3: Strengthen and better disseminate knowledge linked to marine sciences to enhance policy-making

The Nice Ocean Action Plan, composed of a political declaration as well as a list of voluntary commitments from stakeholders, will be adopted following international discussions during the Conference. Read more here.

In addition to the plenary session bringing together the 193 Member States of the United Nations, dialogue sessions will be held bringing together Member States, international organisations and representatives of civil society (NGOs, scientists, businesses).

These dialogues, the Ocean Action Panels, will highlight the commitment of the various players and the creation of coalitions and projects in favour of the Ocean. They will help to anchor the Conference in action by proposing concrete solutions with all the participants.

Open Call for Side Events

Side events can be organized either in-person or virtually, by Member States, the UN system, Intergovernmental Organizations and accredited non-governmental stakeholders. The side events will be an opportunity for all participants to share knowledge and solutions to accelerate implementation of SDG 14, identify new and emerging issues, exchange national and local experiences and practices, and showcase voluntary commitments for the Voluntary Ocean Commitments.  

Side events should be closely related to the main theme of the 2025 UN Ocean Conference: “Accelerating action and mobilizing all actors to conserve and sustainably use the ocean”. They should address innovative ways and means to support the implementation of SDG 14. 

Priority will be given to events organized by Member States and those organized in partnership by several networks/organizations. All interested parties are strongly encouraged to partner with others to organize a side event.    

Side events can be hosted (1) in-person inside the Conference Venue (Blue Zone); (2) in-person at alternative locations in Nice; or (3) virtually. 

Before applying, please read carefully the Guidelines document HERE. 

• To apply for an in-person side event inside the Conference Venue (Blue Zone): https://bit.ly/UNOC3BlueZoneSideEventForm. Deadline: 14 March 2025.
  • Download a sample of the online application form for Conference Venue side events here.  

• To apply for an off-site side event at alternative locations in Nice: https://bit.ly/UNOC3OffSiteSideEventForm. Deadline: 21 April 2025.
  • Download a sample of the online application form for off-site side events here.  

• To apply for a virtual side event: https://bit.ly/UNOC3VirtualSideEventForm. Deadline: 21 April 2025.
  • Download a sample of the online application form for virtual side events here. 

Important! 

• Priority for side events within the Conference Venue (Blue Zone) will be given to those organized by Member States and those organized in partnership by several networks/organizations.  
• Due to the limited space available in the Conference Venue (Blue Zone), all interested parties are strongly encouraged to collaborate with other accredited entities in the organization of side events.  
• The Conference Secretariat will review submissions and only notify those organizers whose events have been approved. 

For questions regarding side events, please contact unoc2025@un.org indicating [Side Events] in the subject.  

Cover photo by Arno Smit on Unsplash.

Objectives

The overall objective of the NAP Expo is to raise adaptation ambition by advancing the formulation and implementation of NAPs. Specific objectives include:

• To facilitate the interaction between country NAP teams and providers of support, including the GCF, GEF and AF, as well as bilateral agencies and other relevant organizations, to enhance access to financing for NAPs
• To create an interactive global forum on NAPs for countries to share experience, best practices and lessons learned; different organizations and bodies to conduct specialized meetings and workshops; and for Parties and non-Party stakeholders to interact, in advancing the formulation and implementation of NAPs
• To serve as the global platform to advance technical and practical measures towards the production of first NAPs as soon as possible and their effective implementation.

Click the “Visit Event” below to read more and register on the official website.

Cover photo by Samuel Ferrara on Unsplash.

The ICAM 2025 will be held as a hybrid event featuring on-site and on-line participation to oral sessions and on-site only poster sessions.

Contributions are encouraged on all aspects of mountain weather and changing climate, from fundamental research to operational challenges in mountainous regions, including but not limited to:

• Dynamics of dry and moist orographically forced airflow
• Boundary layer processes over complex terrain
• Orographic clouds and precipitation
• Mountain climates and impacts of global warming
• Meteorological applications and processes affecting air quality, water resources, renewable energy harvesting, ecosystems, urban environment, infrastructures and society
• Interaction of mountain, coastal and marine processes
• Numerical weather prediction over complex terrain (incl. model developments, data assimilation, predictability studies)
• Challenges in weather forecasting in mountainous areas including verification
• TEAMX – Dynamics of dry and moist orographically forced airflow – programme and experiment, including both observations and modelling
• Other recent and future field campaigns

The ICAM warmly welcomes a diverse audience from both ICAM and non-ICAM Member countries alike.

The European Meteorological Society (EMS) kindly sponsors one Young Scientist Conference Award (YSCA). Other awards for young scientists will be announced in due time.

The ICAM 2025 is jointly organised by the Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service, Department of Geophysics, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Croatia Control Ltd. and Croatian Meteorological Society.

Abstracts may be submitted until 22 April 2025.

Early registration closes on 6 May 2025; regular registration closes on 26 June 2025.

Click the “Visit Event” button below to read more and register on the official ICAM website.

Cover photo by Manas Manikoth on Unsplash.

Das Seminar gibt zuerst einen Überblick zum aktuellen Stand der Lawinengefahrenbeurteilung und des Risikomanagements. In einem zweiten Teil werden rechtliche Aspekte der Tätigkeit von Sicherheitsverantwortlichen in der Schweiz beleuchtet, um diese danach mit der Rechtspraxis in den umliegenden Alpenländern zu vergleichen. Dabei werden instruktive Fallbeispiele präsentiert. In einer Podiumsdiskussion wollen wir der Frage nachgehen, ob das Strafrecht das Lernen aus Unfällen fördert – oder behindert. In vier Workshops werden aktuelle Fragen der Praxis zu den Sorgfaltspflichten von Sicherheitsverantwortlichen, allgemein und im Zusammenhang mit der künstlichen Auslösung diskutiert und bearbeitet. In einem fünften Workshop geht es um Fragen der Zusammenarbeit zwischen Alpinpolizei, Staatsanwaltschaft und Gutachtern. 

Ort 

Kongresszentrum Davos, Eingang Talstrasse           

Sprachen 

Vorträge in Deutsch und Französisch

Live-Übersetzung: Möglichkeit in Ihrer Sprache via Mobiltelefon, Tablet oder Laptop Live-Audio zu hören oder Live-Untertitel zu lesen. Bitte bringen Sie Ihre eigenen Kopfhörer mit.

Zielpublikum 

Sicherheitsverantwortliche, Bergführerinnen, Schneesportlehrpersonen, Tourenleiter, Juristen, Staatsanwältinnen, Angehörige der Alpinpolizei, Versicherungsfachleute, Behördenvertreterinnen und Schneesportler.

Referate 

Sicherheitsverantwortliche aus dem Bereich Schnee und Lawinen, Juristen, Staatsanwältinnen, Gerichtssachverständige aus den Alpenländern, Versicherungsfachleute und SLF-Mitarbeitende.

Programm 

Mittwoch, 11. Juni 2025

Donnerstag, 12. Juni 2025

Freitag, 13. Juni 2025

Anmeldung 

Bis am 15. Mai 2025 unter diesem Link

Anmeldung

Kosten CHF 700.- inkl. Lunch, Konferenz-Dinner und Tagungsband (ohne Übernachtung)

_{Image by Nici Keil.}

Hosted in partnership with one of China’s leading institutions, the conference seeks to encourage interdisciplinary dialogue and innovation, addressing the complicated challenges of climate change with a global perspective.

Conference Scope

CCES serves as a dynamic hub for professionals, researchers, and enthusiasts spanning various engineering disciplines, including those central to addressing climate change challenges: environmental design, renewable energy, and sustainable material sciences. Its core mission is to facilitate robust discussions and collaborations aimed at confronting pressing issues such as greenhouse gas emissions reduction, wildlife preservation, disaster preparedness, and health impacts. Participants will explore advancements in structural engineering, renewable energy sources, risk assessment, and the integration of environmental considerations across engineering domains, driving innovation and action in the face of climate change.

Statement of Purpose

This edition of CCES aims to facilitate interdisciplinary discussions and collaboration to tackle the complex challenges presented by climate change. Bringing together professionals, researchers, and enthusiasts from various engineering fields, its objective is to cultivate innovative approaches and solutions for both mitigating and adapting to climate change impacts. Through meaningful dialogue, sharing of expertise, and networking opportunities, CCES hopes to empower participants to play a pivotal role in the global endeavor to address climate change and foster sustainability.

_{Image by Mathieu Vivier.}

This half-day event is designed for scientists, policy officers, and practitioners who use or are interested in using C3S data for their work in the field of climate change.

Benefits for Participants

This transboundary user workshop is a unique opportunity for interested individuals and organisations to:

• Learn about C3S services and how they can benefit your activities
• Exchange about your potential interest and requirements on the use and application of C3S data and services, on priority issues for the Alps
• Network with professionals who use climate services to improve the resilience of the Alpine territories

The workshop will take place online and will be divided into plenary and breakout group sessions. Following introductory presentations by the Copernicus Climate Change Service and the Alpine Convention, participants will explore the functionalities and latest updates of the C3S Climate Data Store (CDS). Several projects utilizing climate data in priority sectors will also be presented and discussed.

The second half of the workshop aims to interact with the Alpine user community and will be dedicated to sharing experiences and needs regarding climate data and C3S products, on specific key topics for Alpine stakeholders.

The deadline to register is 7 March 2025; please register on the official website here.

If you have any questions, please contact c3s-workshops@ecologic.eu 

Click the “Visit event” button below to see the agenda and register.

Cover photo by Jonas Verstuyft on Unsplash.

To register for the event, please email georgo(@)student.ethz.ch.

Cover photo by Johannes Löw (WP.de: Mo4jolo), CC BY-SA 2.5 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5, via Wikimedia Commons.