Canadian scientists prep for International Polar Year

The top and the bottom of the world will become much busier places over the next two years as more than 50,000 international scientists are expected to trek there to poke and prod and study the effects of climate change.

The International Polar Year program officially kicks off tomorrow in Paris, but events will also be held around the world, including in Ottawa and Whitehorse.

The multimillion-dollar research will take place through March of 2009 to ensure that scientists from 63 countries can work for two full seasons in both polar regions on a wide range of research, including studies on ocean currents, reindeer, glaciers and Arctic human health.

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The federal government has contributed $150-million toward the Canadian IPY program, the most of any participating country.

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the more than 2,000 Canadian researchers participating in this polar year will be gathering and analyzing evidence about how human-induced climate change has transformed the Arctic region. Some of those larger projects include studies of polar bears, the disappearing permafrost and Arctic glaciers and the ecosystem in Yukon's Kluane National Park.

Globe and Mail - Polar-year scientists go with the floe - Wednesday February 28, 2007

UPDATE: There is a map server showing polar year projects available at

http://www.ualberta.ca/~ipy/CANIPY/