Research and management - Norwegian Polar Institute

Research & environmental management

The Norwegian Polar Institute runs research in the Arctic and Antarctic, and is the supplier of knowledge and an adviser to Norwegian authorities in the polar regions.

Biodiversity

The institute aims to provide research data that can be the basis for a sound management of polar regions and to increase the general knowledge of flora and fauna in the Arctic and Antarctic.
Geology

Institute research on areas where we lack knowledge about the geological conditions, and is responsible for geological mapping in the Norwegian polar areas.
Marine ecosystems

A warmer Arctic is influencing wildlife and the marine environment. The Norwegian Polar Institute conducts scientific research on species particularly vulnerable to climate change, especially those that depend on ice for survival.
Pollutants

Our scientists gather knowledge about the causes and consequences of pollution in the European Arctic. The main focus is on persistent organic pollutants (POPs), which accumulates up the food chain.
Sea ice

The Arctic sea ice melts and becomes both thinner and cover a smaller area. Norwegian Polar Institute research on sea ice and snow, especially how the sea ice and snow affect and are affected by climate conditions.
Climate

Climate is what takes up most of the Norwegian Polar Institute researchers, since climate change affects most of the conditions in the polar regions. We research both past and present climate physical processes in the ocean, sea ice and land ice.
Glaciers

We study the glacier mass and distribution, and how climate change affects them from year to year. Old ice from glaciers can also be used as a climate archive, and as indicators of the spread of pollutants.
Oceanography

We gather knowledge about the peculiarities of havforholdene in the Arctic Ocean, its role in climate and climate change, and how variations in sea level and changes in ocean climate may affect marine life.

Our research

Research and monitoring in the polar areas are vital to understanding global changes in the environment and their effects. Our research covers:

Climate
Pollutants
Biodiversity
Marine ecosystems

Climate change is now taking place with the highest rate of change measured in the Arctic, and has become one of the most important research topics in the polar regions. Our climate research focuses in particular on sea ice, glaciers, oceanography and marine ecosystems.

We are active participants in the research flagships of the Fram Centre and in the collaborative research effort in the Antarctic. Additionally, we facilitate international research in the polar regions, and act as a point of contact.

Environmental management

Monitoring the environment is an important part of our work, and the institute has long time series of the physical environment and the ecosystems. Our work is mediated in part through overviews of the state of and developments in climate and the environment.

Svalbard and Jan Mayen

Environmental Monitoring Svalbard and Jan Mayen (MOSJ)
State of the Environment in Norway

The Antarctic

In the Antarctic, the Institute is responsible for administering environmental regulations and implementing the management of the Norwegian claims in Antarctica in accordance with applicable regulations and international agreements.