New Centre for Ice, Climate & Ecosystems opened

Minister of the Environment and International Development Erik Solheim officially opened the ICE-centre in Tromsø on March 17. James Hansen (left) and Director of the Norwegian Polar Institute Jan-Gunnar Winther (right) assisted. Photo: Jesper Hansen/Arctic Council

ICE will further develop the Norwegian Polar Institute’s position as a stakeholder in climate related research, such as ice, sea ice, alpine glaciers and effects of climate change on ecosystems, including ice-associated species. ICE is funded by the Ministry of the Environment.

Minister of the Environment and International Development Erik Solheim officially opened the ICE-centre by sawing through an ice core of sea ice from the Fram Strait in the Arctic. 

Through the High North strategy, the Norwegian Government seeks to further strengthen the research community in Tromsø, and will fund also an overarching leading international centre of research on climate change and the environment in Tromsø.

During the opening James Hansen, director of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, spoke about the importance of climate research.

Source: Norwegian Polar Institute.