GRID-Arendal is joining more than 40 organisations from 15 countries in a major new international effort to improve how changes in the Arctic are observed, understood and communicated, ensuring that people living in the Arctic, policymakers, academia and industry have the knowledge they need to respond.
The EU Horizon Europe project Beyond Arctic PASSION officially launched on 1 September 2026, but partners meet for the first time at the British Antarctic Survey in Cambridge this week (27-29 October). The project brings together scientists, Indigenous Peoples' organisations, local communities, policymakers and operational services to strengthen Arctic observing and make knowledge about the region more accessible, relevant and useful.
The four-year, €8.5 million initiative comes at a critical time. The Arctic is warming nearly four times faster than the global average, with consequences extending far beyond the region itself. Reliable observations are essential – but so is ensuring that the knowledge generated reaches the people who need it and can be understood and used.
From Arctic observations to knowledge people can use
A central focus of Beyond Arctic PASSION will be making Arctic information easier to discover, access and use. GRID-Arendal will lead and support communication and dissemination activities within the project, helping translate complex Arctic observations and research into accessible and engaging information for different audiences.
Together with other partners and drawing on GRID-Arendal's experience in environmental communication, data visualisation, storytelling and science-policy engagement, our role will help connect the wealth of knowledge generated through Beyond Arctic PASSION with communities, decision-makers, media and wider society.
A key ambition of the project is not simply to collect more data, but to strengthen the connections between different forms of knowledge. Beyond Arctic PASSION will bring together observations from satellites, research vessels and automated monitoring systems with Indigenous-led and community-based observing programmes. This is particularly important in a region where environmental change is happening rapidly and where Indigenous Peoples and local communities hold extensive knowledge of Arctic environments.
Building a more connected Arctic observing system
For decades, scientists, Indigenous Peoples, local communities and governments have worked towards a more coordinated Arctic Observing System. However, observations and information remain fragmented across countries, research infrastructures, data platforms and knowledge systems.
Beyond Arctic PASSION aims to address these gaps by strengthening coordination, improving data sharing and supporting the co-production of knowledge. The goal is a more inclusive Arctic Observing System of Systems where information is easier to discover, access, understand and apply.
The project's consortium reflects that ambition. More than 40 organisations from Europe, North America and Asia are participating, including universities, research institutes, Indigenous Peoples' organisations, Arctic governance bodies, data services and organisations working with communities across the region. For GRID-Arendal, the project also builds on decades of work communicating environmental change in the Arctic and connecting science with policy and public understanding.
A global challenge that requires collaboration
No single institution or country can adequately observe the rapidly changing Arctic. Beyond Arctic PASSION therefore brings together expertise, infrastructure and knowledge from across national and disciplinary boundaries.
The project builds on the foundations of Arctic PASSION and other major Arctic observing initiatives, with the aim of creating a stronger, sustained and more equitable observing system that continues beyond the lifetime of individual research projects.
Beyond Arctic PASSION at a glance
Beyond Arctic PASSION is coordinated by the British Antarctic Survey and jointly led by Dr Michael Karcher of the Alfred Wegener Institute and Dr Jeremy Wilkinson of the British Antarctic Survey.
Beyond Arctic PASSION is funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No. 101295797.
Disclaimer: Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
Release date: 28 Oct 2026
