Improving and integrating polar observation systems in response to user requirements at local, regional, and international level

Successful projects will:
• Deliver a major European contribution to improved, long-term coordination, governance, sustainability and resilience of international polar environmental observing systems, advancing understanding of polar evolution, climate interactions and biodiversity impacts.
• Enhance usability, accessibility, effectiveness, interoperability and exploitation of environmental observing and data systems, improving Earth System and prediction models, supporting digital twins (European Digital Twin of the Ocean, Destination Earth) and evolving Copernicus services (Arctic Hub).
• Support sustainable management and evidence-based decision-making for civil society, local/national authorities, stakeholders and EU/international organisations, thereby advancing EU climate, biodiversity and Arctic policies and global sustainable development goals.

Proposals must: 1) build a system-of-systems for polar observation variables (carbon cycle, biogeochemistry, sea-ice dynamics, ice shelves, freshwater flows, ocean circulation, atmospheric composition, subsea permafrost, habitat degradation, biodiversity); 2) demonstrate significant contributions to: a) non-space-based marine and cryospheric observing system optimisation, integration, coordination and governance using existing and emerging technologies including AI; b) harmonised, standardised, interoperable FAIR and CARE polar data systems (including real-time and historical data) with open access via EMODnet and contributions to the EPCO work plan; c) medium- and long-term strategies ensuring sustainability of observing systems, products and services, aligned with the Copernicus Polar Roadmap; 3) address only one regional focus—Area A (Arctic Ocean and coastal regions) with community-based monitoring, co-design with local and Indigenous knowledge holders, support to SAON-ROADS and JRC societal benefit assessment; or Area B (Antarctic shelves and Southern Ocean) supporting Antarctica In Sync and SCAR; 4) strengthen Arctic–Antarctic coupling via harmonised observing strategies, shared essential polar variables and interoperable data systems; 5) establish collaborations with HiAAOS, POLARIN, EU Polar Cluster projects and relevant European research infrastructures; 6) consider and valorise future Sentinel expansion missions (CIMR, CRISTAL, ROSE-L) and coordinate with pre-launch campaigns; 7) include dedicated ESA coordination tasks and resources.