In the twentieth century, scientists learned that
zation was established to encourage and facilitate
polar research had to be undertaken cooperatively.
international consultation and cooperation in scien-
Subsequent to the third IPY, several initiatives, such
tific research concerning the Arctic. This committee
as the establishment of SCAR and the Comité Arctic
covers all fields of Arctic science and provides a
International (CAI) were established by scientists in
forum for discussion, exchange of information, and
order to work together in polar areas, and this led to
cooperation.12
the foundation of IASC.
In the 4 IPY (2007-2008) scientists from more
Reaction of the Science Organizations
in Non-Arctic Countries
than sixty countries worked together in both polar
In the meantime, leading scientists in some non-Arc-
areas. The research was highly multidisciplinary, with
tic countries felt excluded from the process of the
strong engagement from biological and social disci-
founding of IASC. On 20 February 1989, represen-
plines to complement the geophysical sciences.
tatives of Arctic research institutes from Germany,
th
9
the UK, and the Netherlands met with officers from
The IASC Plan
their ministries of foreign affairs in Bonn, in the
On 20 June 1986 at the SCAR meeting in San Di-
Federal Republic of Germany. Participants at this
ego (USA), delegates of some Arctic rim countries
meeting were of the opinion that all scientific activ-
came together with those of non-Arctic countries
ities should be conducted according to the principle
such as Japan, the Federal Republic of Germany, the
of scientific openness and that scientists from all
UK, Poland, and France to discuss a plan for the es-
countries should be able to participate in scientific
tablishment of a Science Committee to stimulate
work in the Arctic. They discussed the founding of
and facilitate international cooperation in Arctic
the IASC to date, concluded that if these scientists
scientific research. The plan was well-received and
wanted to proceed with their research in the Arc-
it was decided that representatives of the Arctic
tic, their science organizations had to become full
rim countries would further explore the possibility
members of the IASC and asked their governments
of establishing an IASC. During this so-called IASC
to take action.
Planning Process, discussions were held in Oslo
in February 1987, in Stockholm in March 1988, in
The governments of these countries, together with
Leningrad in December 1988, and in Helsinki in May
the government of France, decided to ask the Arctic
1989. Already by the time of the Oslo meeting,
countries to explain their policy regarding the IASC.
the Arctic rim countries were joined by two other
In the second week of March 1989 the quatre ex-
countries with territories within the Arctic Circle -
clus (as the four non-Arctic countries called them-
Sweden and Finland. “Then” said Odd Rogne, the
selves) executed a common démarche to the Minis-
then chairman of the IASC Planning Process, “I got
tries of Foreign Affairs of the eight Arctic countries
a phone call from the Icelandic embassy informing
which caused various reactions.13 Some represen-
me that they had some square meters north of the
tatives of the eight countries held the opinion that
Arctic Circle and consequently they were invited.
the demarche had politicized the establishment of
The eight Arctic countries were then defined and
IASC and blamed the quatre exclus for it; others
this was later adopted as a definition by the AEPS
agreed with them and supported the four in their
and the Arctic Council (AC).” The planning process
endeavor to involve their science organizations in
finally culminated with the signing, in Resolute Bay,
the IASC process.14
Canada of the founding articles for an IASC by rep-
The reaction of the IASC Planning Process group
resentatives of the national science organizations
to the demarche was to postpone the Helsinki
of Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Swe-
meeting in order to have time to contact science
den, the USA, and the USSR.
administrators in non-Arctic countries to provide
10
11
In this way, a non-governmental scientific organi-
22
01 Development of IASC
them with more background information about the