The Arctic Ocean is undergoing major change. Temperatures are rising, sea ice is retreating, and areas that were previously difficult to access are becoming more open. These changes affect climate, ecosystems and biodiversity, while increasing human activity may create new challenges related to resource use, governance, security and geopolitics.
The research will improve our understanding of how the Arctic Ocean is changing and what these changes mean locally, regionally and globally. The programme combines natural sciences, social sciences and technology, addressing topics such as climate and sea ice, ecosystems and biodiversity, human activities, governance, and new approaches to observation and modelling. Data from research vessels will be combined with satellites, autonomous platforms and sensors, numerical models and machine learning.
SINTEF Ocean plays a key role in research on human impacts and sustainable use, advances in observation and modelling, and the development of future scenarios and pathways for the Arctic Ocean. SINTEF Ocean leads Research Theme 6, Arctic Ocean Pathways, which integrates knowledge across the programme and translates it into scenarios, management options and actionable knowledge in collaboration with stakeholders. SINTEF Ocean also contributes research on pollution and other human impacts, the benthic environment, and observation and modelling.