Symposium program:
« Arctique : les grands enjeux scientifiques »
«Arctic: the major scientific issues»
June 3-5, 2013 – Collège de France
June 6, 2013 – Institut Océanographique
Photo : © Jean-Jacques Pangrazi/biosphoto
June 3, 2013
This first day, organized in collaboration with la Chaire de l’Evolution du Climat et de
l’Océan at Collège de France, will de dedicated to scientific conferences, of 40 minutes in
length, for the general public. The major issues related to climate change in the Arctic over a
wide rage of disciplines will be addressed. The speakers, invited by the French Arctic
Initiative’s Scientific Committee, are well recognized as global experts in their given fields.
Because of the international stature of these researchers, some of the presentations will be
given in English. Translation will be provided.
A round table is planned following the series of conferences.
Time
Theme
Invited speakers
9h00 – 09h20
Inauguration,
context, expectations
Alain Fuchs
Edouard Bard
Marcel Babin
Arctic climate in a global and
temporal context
Causes and Implications of
10h00-10h40
Reduced Arctic Sea Ice
Impacts of permafrost thaw on Arctic
10h40-11h20
ecosystems and communities
Ice cores tell on past and present
11h20-12h00
climate changes - what is happening?
June 3 2013
09h20-10h00
12h00-13h30
Lunch + Poster session
13h30-13h50
Diplomatic and political aspects
13h50-14h30
14h30-15h10
15h10-15h40
Edouard Bard
Julienne Stroeve
Michel Allard
Dorthe Dahl-Jensen
Michel Rocard
Marine biodiversity and its influence
Philippe Archambault
on ecosystem functioning
Arctic pollution :
Kathy Law
sources, pathways and impacts
Break + Poster session
Risks and benefits of
the traditional inuit nutrition
Arctic people: socio-cultural
orientations and interests
Greenland – the oldest traces
of Life on Earth
Anne-Victoire Charrin
17h40-19h10
Round Table
Yves Frenot
Roland Neuber
19h10-20h30
Buffet Supper + Poster session
15h40-16h20
16h20-17h00
17h00-17h40
Eric Dewailly
Minik Rosing
June 4 and 5, 2013
These two days of conferences at Collège de France are devoted to scientific conferences
covering the six sub-themes encompassing Arctic issues, with subjects ranging from
humanities to pure sciences. Each session will be opened by an invited speaker, while other
experts and researchers in each the fields listed below have been approached to give short
oral presentations and/or participate in poster sessions. The special days will conclude
with round table discussions.
Time
Theme
9h00-9h10
Introduction
9h10-09h50
Speakers
Theme 1 :
Human activity and
its impacts
09h50-10h50
10h50-11h30
June 4 2013
11h30-12h00
Theme 2 :
Ecosystems and
biodiversity
12h00-13h30
Kathy Law
David
Grémillet &
Yvon Le Maho
Lunch + Posters
13h30-14h00
14h00-14h40
14h40-15h10
Aurélien Dommergue
«Climate change: will it
increase toxic emissions
in the Arctic?»
4 presentations of 15
min
Dominique Berteaux
«The current status
and trends of Arctic
biodiversity»
2 presentations
of 15 min
Moderators
Theme 3 :
Arctic communities
and knowledge
2 presentations
of 15 min
Dominique Samson
« Contemporary Russian
Arctic: development
versus ethics»
2 presentations
of 15 min
15h10-15h40
Break + Posters
15h40-16h10
2 presentations
of 15 min
16h10-17h40
Round table
17h40-20h30
Poster session and Buffet Supper
Sylvie Beyries,
Michèle
Therrien &
Cécile
Pelaudeix
9h00-9h10
9h10-09h50
Introduction
Theme 4 :
Climate : Oceanice-atmosphere
09h50-10h50
June 5 2013
10h50-11h30
11h30-12h00
Theme 5 :
Geodynamics and
natural resources
12h00-14h00
Lunch + Posters
14h00-14h30
14h30-15h10
15h10-15h40
Bert Rudels
«The Arctic Ocean Climate –
a balance between local
radiation, advected heat
and freshwater»
4 presentations
of 15 min
Jörn Thiede
«Challenges in the
geological exploration
of the Arctic Ocean»
2 presentations
of 15 min
Theme 6 :
Permafrost
2 presentations
of 15 min
Gerhard Krinner
« Permafrosts and their role
in the global climate »
2 presentations
of 15 min
15h40-16h10
Break + Posters
16h10-16h40
2 presentations
of 15 min
16h40-18h10
Round table
18h10-18h40
Wrap-up and closing
Marie-Noëlle
Houssais &
Frédérique
Rémy
Francis
Albarède &
Jérôme
Gaillardet
François
Costard &
Philippe Ciais
June 6, 2013
Workshops on future prospects
Multidisciplinary groups
Thematic groups
This day at l’Institut Océanographique will be dedicated the synthesis of the major scientific
issues touching the Arctic by the symposium leaders. Symposium participants will
participate in workshops on future prospects for the Arctic. Established teams will be
responsible for leading these workshops and the online forum. This activity will lead to the
drafting of a final document on future prospective research.
Theme
Principal moderator
Additional moderators
Permafrost
François Costard
Jérôme Chappellaz
Philippe Ciais
Biodiversity
David Grémillet
Climate: Ocean-iceatmosphere
Marie-Noëlle Houssais
Geodynamics and natural
resources
Jérôme Gaillardet
Human activity and its
impacts
Kathy Law
Governance et geopolitics
Cécile Pelaudeix
Arctic communities and
knowledge
Sylvie Beyries
Observations
Jean-Claude Gascard
Modelling
Philippe Ciais
Yvon Le Maho
Guillaume Massé
Gilles Yoccoz
Chantal Claud
Jean-Claude Gascard
Kathy Law
Frédérique Rémy
Catherine Ritz
David Salas y Melia
Francis Albarède
Loïc Labrousse
Emilie Gauthier
Hans Werner Jacobi
Yvette Vaguet
Anne Choquet
Claire Alix
Marie-Françoise André
Émmanuèle Gautier
Michèle Therrien
François Costard
Florent Dominé
Philippe Keckhut
Nicole Papineau
Laurent Bopp
Gilles Garric
Marie-Noëlle Houssais
Kathy Law
Catherine Ritz
Evening of conferences for the general public
An evening event, to which the general public is invited, will be held in the conference
rooms of the Institut Océanographique, beginning at 7:00 pm. Three invited speakers will
be present :

Henriette Rasmussen is Consule honoraire de l'Ambassade de France à Nuuk,
Groenland and the founding member of the United Nations Permanent Forum on
Indigenous Issues. A well known political figure in Greenland, she was an early
advocate for the rights of women and indigenous people. She was a municipal
councilor in Nuuk and twice served as a minister in the Greenland government
(1991-1995, 2003-2005). She is also a radio-journalist and an honourary member of
Cercle Polaire. The title of the conference will be:
«The inuit perception of climate change»

Valérie Masson-Delmotte is Directrice de Recherche at the Commissariat à
l'Energie Atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA), and more precisely at the
Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement. She is part of many
national and international projects, notably the International Panel on Climate
Change (IPCC). The title of the conference will be:
«Past and current variations in Arctic climate – a Greenland focus»

Louis Fortier, O.C., O.Q., is an oceanography professor in the Biology Department
at l’Université Laval in Québec City, Canada. Dr. Fortier is the Project Leader for the
CFI-funded Canadian Research Icebreaker Amundsen, Assistant Director of Takuvik
Joint International Laboratory and Scientific Director of ArcticNet, a Network
Centers of Excellence of Canada, whose objective is to study the impacts of climate
change and modernization in the coastal Canadian Arctic. The title of the conference
will be:
«Arctic warming: marine ecosystems in the line of fire»
Description des sessions thématiques et ateliers de prospective
Description of the thematic sessions and forecasting workshops
Human activity and its impacts
Since the industrial revolution, human activity at the middle latitudes has resulted in the
production of pollutants (ozone, aerosols, mercury, persistent organic pollutants (POPs))
that can be transported to the Arctic, impacting not only the climate, but also ecosystems
(marine and terrestrial) and the health of local populations. This session covers all aspects
related to atmospheric pollution (e.g. ozone, aerosols) transported from the middle
latitudes and its impact on climate, regional air quality and natural ecosystems. The session
will also address pollution of the ocean, its particulate matter, sediments and ice and the
repercussions on ecosystem and human health (e.g. mercury and POPs). It is important to
better quantify the processes (emission, transport, transformation, deposit) that influence
the level of pollutants, natural sources in different environments (atmosphere, ocean,
cryosphere, soil, lake) and their evolution over time. One of the most important issues is to
better understand the impact of new sources of potential pollution associated with climate
change and economical development of the Arctic (maritime routes, extraction of oil gas
and minerals, urbanization, agriculture, fire, fishing, etc.)
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Ecosystems and Biodiversity
The biodiversity and uniqueness of Arctic ecosystems distinguish them from those at lower
latitudes or in the Antarctic. These attributes permit high value fundamental scientific and
societal research. Living organisms occupy a central place among the people of the Arctic.
At a time when global change has an increasing impact on biodiversity and the functioning
of Arctic ecosystems, it is ever more important to observe, analyse and forecast the
dynamics of these ecosystems. This session gives voice to members of the French scientific
community by encouraging them to present their research in Arctic ecology. All areas of the
biosphere (marine, lacustrine, terrestrial) and all types of life (from microorganisms to
mammals) will be covered.
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Arctic communities and knowledge
Arctic and sub-Arctic communities, currently confronted with unprecedented and profound
changes, historically developed because of a superior knowledge of the environment in the
broadest sense of the term. Today, as in the past, these communities are characterized by
their social reorganization and their rapid technical innovation in response to local
conditions, climate change, the availability of wildlife, and contacts with the outside world.
This session will focus on the commonalities that exist, either evident or hidden, that exist
between the knowledge held by the aboriginal peoples and that of the scientific community.
Particular attention will be paid to understanding the interaction between environmental
sciences, social sciences and health sciences. The aim of the exchanges is to develop
inclusive attitudes promoting complementarity, which is a priority, given the scale of the
issues, many unprecedented, which arise in regions with such a fragile balance.
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Climate: Ocean-ice-atmosphere
Ice is an important component in the climate system, due to its high albedo and its
interaction with both the ocean and the atmosphere. It is also a very sensitive indicator of
climate change. Sea ice is responsible for one of the most effective positive feedbacks on
climate. Due to the wide variety of temporal and spatial scales involved, the complexity and
multiplicity of interactions between different elements of the ocean / ice / atmosphere
system and the many feedback mechanisms which operate over different time frames, the
system must be considered as a whole. An important issue is to evaluate the impact of
climate change on other components or compartments of the Arctic climate system (water
cycle, biogeochemical cycles, permafrost, thermohaline circulation, stratospheretroposphere coupling). This session aims to review the evolution of the different types of
Arctic ice: sea ice, continental ice sheets and their impact on climate change. This session
also covers issues related to atmospheric circulation in the Arctic, climate change and its
impact, particularly in terms of severe events, as well as coupling between regions (eg, midlatitude Arctic, stratosphere-troposphere) and physical processes (eg dynamic-cloudaerosol).
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Geodynamics and natural resources
The Arctic Ocean can into existence as a result of a tear in one of the oldest parts of the
Earth’s crust. The challenges of a session on Arctic geodynamics is to better understand not
only the geologic history of the ocean and its periphery, but also the evolution of its
influence on thermohaline circulation, Arctic hydrology and modern climate as well as the
genesis of carbonaceous or associated mineral resources. Geological research in the Arctic
will also predict the consequences of eventual exploitation of this fragile the consequences
of a possible use of this fragile territory that is subject to large-scale environmental change.
Arctic geodynamics also involves an understanding of the peculiar dynamics of continental
erosion and sedimentation in this environment.
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Permafrost
Arctic and peri-Arctic regions are characterized by the presence of permanent frozen
ground (permafrost), often formed during previous glaciations, which is vulnerable to
climate change. Permafrost degradation leads to multiple consequences for the
environment by disrupting hydrological systems, ground stability and air and water quality.
This in turns affects the local population. Thawing of permafrost in the Arctic promotes the
decomposition of the organic matter it contains, resulting in the emission of greenhouse
gases, which has a positive feedback on global warming. During this session recent
advances in permafrost research will be reviewed. This will require a cross-sectoral
approach involving earth sciences (geology, geomorphology, hydrology, biogeochemistry,
climatology), life sciences and humanities (geography, ethnology). The forum aims to
provide an update on the status of French involvement is this area, links with other
European and international initiatives and establish priorities and collaborations for the
near future.
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Description des ateliers de prospective hors sessions
Description of extra-sessional forecasting workshops
Governance et geopolitics
The Arctic region is changing rapidly as a result of climate change, energy issues and new
economic balance in the world. These changes affect the environment (mining, offshore,
maritime routes), the lifestyle of the inhabitants (paticularly indigenous people), population
dynamics and the geopolitical balance in the region. This forum focuses on the changes in
three levels of governance (regional, national, international). It covers the evolution of the
structure of governance (stakeholders, institutions, legislation) in four areas: human
development (urbanization, political representation, local economy), international
cooperation (Arctic Council, Barents Euro-Arctic Council), development of resources and
environment (safety, energy markets and climate) and navigation (Polar Code, IMO). The
objective of the forum is to identify promising areas for the development of governance
research.
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Observations
Climate change-induced modifications to the environment are accelerated in the Arctic. The
feedbacks associated with these phenomena are both complex and poorly understood.
Interpretation of the mechanisms involved requires observations to be made in all
compartments of the Arctic environment: ocean, land, atmosphere, hydrosphere,
cryosphere, biosphere and human activity, using field studies, remote sensing, data
assimilation and modelling. The objective of this forum is to identify potential French
contributions to the development of environmental observations in the Arctic and their
place in international efforts, including those being discussed at the first Arctic Observing
Summit which will be held in Vancouver April 30 - May 2, 2013.
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Modelling
Arctic regions are experiencing the forcing of increases in greenhouse gas emissions that
cause global warming. But these areas are also a source of climatic, biophysical and
biogeochemical feedbacks which, in turn, affect regional and global climate. Most of these
feedbacks in the Arctic regions are positive, resulting in a regional amplification of global
warming. Global and regional models are indispensable tools for quantifying and
understanding these complex feedbacks and interactions at different time scales. The
models dealing with the physical components of the system (atmospheric and oceanic
physics, sea ice, Greenland polar ice cap and energy balances of continental surfaces)
simulate the feedbacks related to changes in albedo (snow, changes in sea ice), ocean
circulation, heat transport by the atmosphere and the flux of freshwater into the ocean over
long time scales (Greenland ice cap). Models of major biogeochemical cycles permit
calculation of the slow feedbacks involving ecosystem carbon and nitrogen stocks and
emissions of CO2, CH4 (including permafrost) and other chemically reactive compounds.
These flows are coupled with the transport and reactivity of chemical species and aerosols
in the atmosphere. The two great challenges of modeling the Arctic system are: 1) to
describe the complexity of processes specific to these regions and their coupling in
integrated models of the Earth system, especially teleconnections, and transfers between
ocean and continent, and 2) to evaluate and reduce uncertainties with observations, using
both in situ measurements and remote sensing for recent years and paleo-environmental
reconstructions for the past, thus improving parameterizations.
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