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.

From 2026, the Norwegian Scientific Academy for Polar Research (NVP) will receive NOK 1 million through the Norwegian state budget.

The stormiest of the four GoNorth expeditions has drawn to a successful close, returning to port in Tromsø on the evening of 16 December.

It is with deep sadness that we learned that Anne Husebekk passed away on 5 December 2025, after a period of illness. She was 69 years old when she passed.

His Majesty The King of Norway has extended his Royal Patronage of the Norwegian Academy of Polar Research for the period 2026–2030, recognising the Academy’s role in advancing polar research and international scientific cooperation.