Participants spent the day exploring Isfjorden by RIB boat, visiting glaciers, observing wildlife, and examining geological features in the field.

Governance, adaptation, critical minerals, and Indigenous perspectives took centre stage as participants explored how Arctic communities navigate rapid environmental and societal change.

Participants spent the day learning essential Arctic field safety skills, combining classroom instruction, polar bear safety training, and practical exercises in the field.

Climate change, environmental transformation, and geopolitics took centre stage as participants explored how a rapidly changing Arctic is reshaping ecosystems, societies, and international relations.

The first day of the NVP International Summer School 2026 highlighted why understanding the Arctic requires perspectives from across disciplines and borders.

Plastic pollution is increasingly affecting the Arctic, where plastics are found in the ocean, sea ice, snow, air, and wildlife. Originating from both local sources and long-range transport, plastic waste and microplastics threaten Arctic ecosystems and highlight the need for stronger measures to reduce pollution and improve waste management.

At the Annual Meeting in Tromsø, Lise Øvreås was elected to the Board and Brit Lisa Skjelkvåle was elected as the Academy’s first Deputy Board Member.

Thor S. Larsen has been appointed an Honorary Member of the Polar Academy. The appointment was formally announced during the Academy’s 2026 Annual Meeting, following a unanimous decision by the Board.

How can new technology improve our understanding of a rapidly changing Arctic? At the seminar “Technology and Nature – Hand in Hand” in Tromsø, researchers and technologists presented innovative approaches to environmental monitoring using satellites, drones, sensors, marine robotics, and seabird tracking.

25 people were admitted as new members at the Board’s meeting on 12 March 2026 and presented during the Annual Meeting.