International Collaboration
The Arctic is surrounded by land claimed by many world powers, and has always been an arena for international collaboration and competition. One of the most compelling reasons for the early exploration of the Arctic was to search for a Northwest Passage through the Arctic Ocean to shorten trading routes between the Atlantic and the Pacific. These expeditions were largely undertaken with a more of competitive than collaborative spirit, but because the Arctic is an inhospitable place and exploratory missions were always costly and risky, over time it became apparent that well-funded cooperative expeditions were more likely to be successful.
As the forays into the Arctic yielded more information about the harsh environment, scientists in particular began to see the value of sharing resources and information, and started actively promoting the idea of more collaboration between nations. As a result, the international community established the following significant international organizations and events:
International Polar Years: Two year-long international collaborations that focused on polar research (1882 to 1883 ad 1932 to 1933).
World Meteorological Organization: Coordinates global scientific activities in such areas as weather prediction, air pollution research, and climate change-related activities.
International Geophysical Year: An extension of the IPY concept planned specifically to take advantage of increased sun activity predicted for the years 1957-1958.
World Data Center System: A series of data centers set up to facilitate international exchanges and archival of geophysical and environmental information.
Working Group VIII: A bilateral initiative between the United States and Russia known as the "Agreement on Protection of the Environment."
Environmental Working Group: The U.S.-Russian joint Commission on Economic and Technological Cooperation established the Environmental Working Group (EWG) in 1995. The EWG's Arctic Climatology Project has produced a series of joint U.S.-Russian Arctic Atlases, including this Meteorology and Climate Atlas.