and other partners, take on the formal leadership of
design, implementation, coordination and sustained
SAON.
operation of Arctic observing systems. The AOS
At the Arctic Council Ministerial meeting in spring
functions as an international forum for optimizing
2009, there was agreement to establish a SA ON
resource allocation through coordination and ex-
Steering Group (SG), composed of representatives
change among researchers, funding agencies, and
from the Arctic Council, IASC and WMO. The SG was
others involved or interested in long-term observing
co-chaired by John Calder of the National Oceanic
activities, while minimizing duplication and gaps.
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and David
Hik (IASC) and held several meetings, including an
In 2014 SAON established two Committees focused
open session with funding agencies at the 2010
on (1) Committee on Observations and Networks
State of the Arctic conference in Miami and a work-
(CON), chaired by Lisa Losetto; and (2) Committee
shop on data management in Oslo. Outcomes from
on Information and Data Services (CDIS), chaired by
this planning process included (1) inventories of Arc-
Peter Pulsifer. These committees provide advice to
tic observing activities, prepared by all Arctic coun-
the Board regarding how to secure and improve (1)
tries, providing an opportunity for coordinating and
the observations and networks and (2) the accessi-
improving national observing and data exchange;
bility of information and data services. They serve
(2) a summary of Arctic observing needs shared by
as a technical platform for ongoing SAON activities
agencies, local residents and the science communi-
and affiliated Networks. The SAON CDIS effectively
ty; (3) promotion of the SAON concept within Arctic
merged with the IASC Data Standing Committee of
Council, EU, UNESCO, WMO, and a number of regions
IASC in fall 2014, establishing a single Arctic com-
and countries; (4) initiation of 17 multinational proj-
mittee to provide coordination of Arctic data ser-
ects (referred to as SAON tasks); and (5) agreement
vices.
on a SAON implementation structure.
The future of SAON will depend on achieving its
In spring 2011 the Arctic Council and IASC en-
original goals. Over the past years many other
dorsed the SAON SG recommendations and fol-
organizations have articulated similar objectives,
lowing extensive negotiations, both the Arctic
and much progress has been made, often in part-
Council Nuuk Declaration and IASC Council meeting
nership with SAON.
in Seoul, South Korea, endorsed the establishment
pan-Arctic observing network and data system re-
of a SAON Board responsible for all programmatic
mains elusive.
However, a comprehensive
and operational issues of SAON. The Board held its
first meeting in Tromsø in January 2012. The Board
has wide representation with members from the
Sources
eight Arctic countries, the Arctic Council Permanent
All SAON reports are available on its website:
Participants and Working Groups, and non-Arctic
www.arcticobserving.org
countries and international organizations, all par-
Printed reports being sources for this summary are:
ticipating in SAON activities with an equal status.
- Report of the Sustaining Arctic Observing Networks
The Arctic Council nominated the Chair of the SAON
(SAON) Initiating Group, Oslo 2008, 12 p.
Board (Tom Armstrong) and IASC nominated the
- Plan for the Implementation Phase of SAON.
vice-Chair (David Hik).
Board meetings have normally been held in conjunction with the Arctic Observing Summit (AOS),
in Vancouver (2013) and Helsinki (2014). The AOS
is a high-level, biennial summit that aims to provide
community-driven, science-based guidance for the
58
02 IASC Initiatives
Final Report, Oslo 2011, 16 p.