International Polar Year

The International Polar Years (IPY) are large-scale, collaborative international scientific programmes focused on advancing understanding of the Earth’s polar regions. Initiated in the late nineteenth century, they have evolved into some of the most extensive coordinated research efforts in the Arctic and Antarctic. Four IPYs have taken place to date: 1882–1883, 1932–1933, 1957–1958 and 2007–2008, each contributing significantly to knowledge of polar systems, climate processes and global geophysics.

Origins and Early Development

The concept of coordinated polar research emerged in 1875 through the proposals of Karl Weyprecht, an Austro-Hungarian naval officer and Arctic explorer. Weyprecht argued that systematic, international scientific collaboration was essential to comprehending polar phenomena. Although he died before the idea came to fruition, his vision shaped subsequent initiatives.

The First International Polar Year, 1882–1883

The first IPY was organised by Georg Neumayer of the German Maritime Observatory and took seven years of preparation. Eleven nations participated, including the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States. These countries established twelve Arctic stations and two sub-Antarctic stations. Additional meteorological installations were arranged at mission settlements along the Labrador coast.
Research focused on:

• Meteorology
• Geomagnetism
• Auroral observations
• Ocean currents and tides
• Ice movement and structure
• Atmospheric electricity

More than forty meteorological observatories worldwide expanded their programmes in support of the IPY, generating a uniquely comprehensive dataset. These records, now digitised and publicly accessible, provide insight into the historical Arctic environment and climate variability.

The Second International Polar Year, 1932–1933

The second IPY was initiated by the International Meteorological Organization, recognising the need to investigate puzzling disturbances in telegraph, radio and power lines observed after the First World War. Advances in transport and atmospheric instrumentation made intensive polar research feasible.
Key developments included:

• Participation by forty-four nations.
• Establishment of twenty-seven Arctic observation stations.
• Major progress in meteorology, atmospheric science, magnetism and ionospheric mapping.
• Creation of a global data centre under the body that became the World Meteorological Organization.

Plans to build a station network in Antarctica were abandoned due to the economic constraints of the Great Depression. Substantial quantities of scientific data were later lost during the Second World War.

The International Geophysical Year, 1957–1958

Often considered the third IPY, the International Geophysical Year (IGY) extended polar research to a wider spectrum of Earth sciences. It became a landmark moment for coordinated global geophysical investigation, drawing inspiration from earlier IPYs and stimulating extensive advances in polar and atmospheric research.

The Fourth International Polar Year, 2007–2008

The fourth IPY was jointly sponsored by the International Council for Science and the World Meteorological Organization. Planning began in 2003, followed by the establishment of the ICSU–WMO Joint Committee in 2005 to oversee implementation. The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research coordinated Antarctic initiatives, while the International Arctic Science Committee guided Arctic-focused activities.
This IPY was the largest and most comprehensive polar research project ever undertaken, involving an estimated 50,000 participants from more than sixty nations. A total of 228 international projects were carried out, including 170 scientific research initiatives, one dedicated data management programme and fifty-seven education and outreach activities.
Major programme areas extended across eleven themes:

• Polar atmosphere
• Arctic Ocean
• Southern Ocean
• Greenland ice sheet and Arctic glaciers
• Antarctic ice sheets
• Subglacial aquatic environments
• Permafrost
• Earth structure and polar geodynamics
• Terrestrial ecology and biodiversity
• Polar societies and social systems
• Human health in polar regions

Fieldwork was conducted from March 2007 to March 2009, though related activities continued until at least June 2010. The IPY’s achievements are summarised in Understanding Earth’s Polar Challenges (2011), a comprehensive five-part report covering planning, research, observations, outreach and long-term legacies.

Scientific Conferences and Knowledge Dissemination

A series of major international conferences supported the exchange of findings:

• St Petersburg, 2008: A joint Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research–International Arctic Science Committee event brought together approximately 1,400 researchers, with twenty-nine sessions and hundreds of presentations.
• Oslo, 2010: The IPY Science Conference marked the formal conclusion of the fourth IPY and presented early results from research clusters, attended by more than 2,000 participants.
• Montréal, 2012: With the theme From Knowledge to Action, the conference assessed the broader global implications of IPY science and explored themes of stewardship, sustainability and environmental protection.

Educational and Professional Legacies

The fourth IPY catalysed significant educational and organisational developments. Polar Educators International (PEI) was founded in the aftermath of the 2012 Montréal conference, forming a global network to promote excellence in polar science education. It emerged from the outreach framework established during the fourth IPY and continues to support teachers, researchers and communicators.
Similarly, the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS) originated during the fourth IPY following the merger of the IPY International Youth Steering Committee and an early APECS initiative. It now serves as a major international organisation supporting early career researchers in polar sciences, ensuring that expertise developed during the IPY continues to benefit future generations.