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ARCTIC PORTAL
Short Title: Arctic Portal Project URL: http://www.arcticportal.net/ Proposal URL: http://classic.ipy.org/development/eoi/proposal-details.php?id=388 Though the creation of the Arctic Portal concept, ( a web portal, accessible through the internet, focused on the Arctic and the Arctic Council ) the feasibility study, and preliminary design elements originate within the Arctic Council, and it is the Arctic Council that will launch the Arctic Portal, the Portal has four main components: Arctic Council: The Arctic Portal will enable the Arctic Council to operate more efficiently, maximizing limited financial and human resources. It will serve to enhance the operations of the Working Groups, Permanent Participants (Indigenous Peoples Organizations), and Observer countries and organizations. It will provide a means for the Working Groups and their Secretariats to establish better communication and cooperation on those elements of day-to-day operations that they share in common, such as a common calendar, joint project directory, and on-line document library, none of which currently exist. The Arctic Portal will also allow for the Arctic Council to hold virtual meetings. This will enable better meeting attendance by the Indigenous Peoples Organizations and other interested stakeholders who have limited financial and staff resources. Professional/Scientific: The Arctic Portal may serve as a main storage of data and provide interactive working venues on the web for research projects in the Arctic, including those of the Arctic Council Working Groups, providing data management and analysis capabilities. Two such projects, submitted as IPY projects are the CBMP and COMAAR. Remote sensing data, and GIS-mapping will now be possible as well through the Arctic Portal, and it will link data from the different Working Groups and scientific projects in the Arctic more easily and cost-effectively. Professionals located across the globe will have better access to data and information sharing through this Portal, including the use of virtual meetings and access to password-protected draft documents. This is especially relevant with Working Group Assessments which involve experts from many different regions, not just the Arctic. Indigenous Peoples Organizations/Communities: The Arctic Portal will serve the Indigenous Peoples Organizations of the Arctic Council as well as other Arctic Indigenous communities. It will provide a gateway into a multi-media/multi-lingual site where culture, history and language can be shared and preserved. Stories, maps and photographs of sacred sites, customs, and historical facts can be shared using audio, video, and photography. In addition, this is where important issues of concern can be presented, such as climate change and the changes in migration patterns of species on which livelihoods depend. It will be a tool to help with regional development issues and will communicate many different levels of information, for primary and secondary education up to national and regional governments and policymakers. Intellectual property rights will be correctly addressed with all such information put on the Arctic Portal. General Public: The Arctic Portal will make it much easier to download and order Arctic publications using the online document library. It will also provide basic information about the Arctic and its residents, species of flora and fauna, the state of the environment and the current issues being addressed by researchers and policy makers in a simple format for use by educators and the general public. Different maps of the Arctic countries can be made easily available, as well as publications for the public by national agencies of each of the Arctic countries. A general calendar of events will be created to serv the interest of the general public, professionals and other interested stakeholders.