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EPB Spring 2025 Plenary Meeting in Umeå, Sweden

The European Polar Board (EPB) held its Spring 2025 Plenary Meeting on 8-9 May at the new Secretariat and European Polar Coordination Office (EPCO) offices in Umeå, Sweden, hosted by the Arctic Centre at Umeå University. 

EPB members, representatives and alternate representatives from leading European research institutes, logistics operators, funding agencies, scientific academies, and government ministries came together to connect, collaborate, and explore the newly opened EPB offices.

Spring Plenary Discussions & Decisions

The Plenary Meeting began on 8 May with a series of important strategic discussions. Among the key topics were the International Polar Year (IPY), the activities of EPCO, and ongoing initiatives such as Antarctica InSync.

EPB was also pleased to welcome a special guest, Mr. Anil Mishra, Chief of the Hydrological Systems, Climate Change and Adaptation Section and UNESCO’s focal point for the Decade of Action for Cryospheric Sciences (2025–2034).

Mr. Mishra presented an overview of the development process for the UN Decade of Action for Cryospheric Sciences. He expressed his gratitude to EPB for its valuable contribution to the high-level UNESCO brainstorming session held on March 20. Mr. Mishra also informed the Plenary that, on May 5, UNESCO officially invited EPB to join the Ad Hoc Committee for the Decade.

Following the presentation, EPB Member representatives engaged in a lively discussion, asking detailed questions about the Decade’s objectives, planned actions, long-term vision, and ways in which organisations and communities can actively contribute.

EPB warmly thanked Mr. Mishra for his insightful presentation and his participation in the Plenary. We are excited to support the Decade of Action for Cryospheric Sciences and honoured to be invited to join its Ad Hoc Committee.

EXCOM Election & New Members

At this plenary meeting, Dr. Marie-Noëlle Houssais (French National Centre for Scientific Research – CNRS) completed her service on the Executive Committee (EXCOM) after two consecutive periods. Dr. Daan Blok (Dutch Research Council - NWO) was elected as a new EXCOM Member. We warmly congratulate Dr. Blok and look forward to his contributions. We sincerely thank Dr. Houssais for her exceptional dedication and commitment to EPB.

Additionally, EPB welcomed new representatives:

More details about the new EXCOM members and EPB representatives will be shared soon in a news article on our website. We are enthusiastic about working together and confident that their expertise will enrich EPB’s collaborative efforts.

Acknowledging Dr. Vito Vitale

The meeting concluded with a heartfelt farewell to Dr. Vito Vitale, who is retiring after years of dedicated service. Dr. Vitale has been involved with EPB since 2012–2013, served as the official representative of CNR (Italy) since 2017, and was an EXCOM member from 2019 to 2023. His leadership and commitment have left a lasting legacy within the EPB community. We thank him deeply and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.

High-Level Event: "Polar Research in Focus"

On 7 May, just ahead of the Plenary Meeting, EPB together with its members Umeå University, Luleå University of Technology, and the Swedish Polar Research Secretariat organised a high-level event at Umeå University titled “Polar Research in Focus: Enhancing Impact and Presence in the International Polar Year and the Decade of the Cryosphere.” More details about the event will be shared soon in a news article on our website.

Next Plenary Meeting

Following the fruitful Spring 2025 plenary meeting, the momentum continues within the EPB community. While coordination and collaborative work are ongoing, members will next come together in person at the Autumn 2025 EPB Plenary Meeting taking place from 18-20 November in Gebze, Kocaeli, Türkiye. The event will be hosted at the TÜBİTAK Marmara Research Center - Polar Research Institute.