The EU plays a pivotal role in mitigating polar climate change, but decisions and planning depend on reliable projections.  

A joint policy brief from the two EU-funded projects CRiceS and PolarRES highlights the need for regionally refined projections and improved representation of polar processes to predict the future of the Arctic and Antarctic regions – and the planet. 

Climate change is rapidly altering the polar regions, especially in the Arctic region including changes in snow cover, sea ice, and precipitation. These transformations affect polar ecosystems and the livelihoods of Arctic communities, as well as European residents experiencing altered weather due to sea ice decline.  

Two research projects, PolarRES and CRiceS, with scientists from more than twenty institutions around the world, are dedicated to increase our understanding of what happens in the Arctic and Antarctic and to provide improved projections for future climate impacts in these regions. Both projects have received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 programme.  

The policy brief “Enhancing Polar System Representation in Models for EU Climate Decision-Making” notes that “The EU can strengthen European leadership in addressing polar climate change by intensifying efforts to develop robust and reliable climate projections.”