D2.5 Strategic analysis of monitoring and modelling programmes

A strategic analysis is made of current monitoring and modelling programmes in the polar regions. The analysis is based on two inventories that were produced in a preceding deliverable in the form of two Excel documents. The contents of the programmes have been mapped against EU-PolarNet’s European Polar Research Priorities to determine the extent to which current programmes address prioritised objectives and key research questions. The analysis is performed both thematically and spatially to identify gaps in current programmes. We found a dominance of programmes focusing on polar biology and the polar climate system including the cryosphere, and an underrepresentation of programmes within the broad fields of human and social sciences, astronomy and space sciences, solid earth interaction, and resource management. The Arctic is substantially more represented in the inventories than the Antarctic. The analysis is finally complemented with additional input from key players and selected sources to better assess the main gaps in observations and modelling of the polar regions.