Arctic Tipping Points

Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC) is the largest research organisation in Spain, with over 4,000 scientists distributed in 130 institutes. The scientists at CSIC, lead by Prof. Carlos M. Duarte are highly experienced in research within the European Framework Program, with Prof. Duarte having coordinated three EU funded projects, including an Integrated Project (the THRESHOLDS Project). The groups participating in ATP have participated in over 20 EU-funded projects (including five FP 6 projects). The participants conduct research on marine ecology, both benthic and pelagic, and the effects of global change on these ecosystems. The group has published over 300 papers in international journals, including major journals, such as Science and Nature, and is currently developing considerable effort to the assessment of the impacts of climate change on polar ecosystems. CSIC will contribute with scientists from two separate institutes: Instituto Mediterraneo de Estudios Avanzados; IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), in Majorca, and the Instituto de Ciencias del Mar, ICM; in Barcelona

SINTEF is a multidisciplinary organisation that finds intelligent, profitable solutions for the public and private sectors' needs based on research and development in technology, the natural sciences, medicine and the social sciences. The SINTEF Group is structured into six strategic areas and is Scandinavia's largest independent research organisation. There are about 1800 employees of whom around 85% are R&D personnel. Turnover in 2005 was NOK 1.8 billion. Contracts for industry and the public sector generate more than 96% of income, from the Research Council of Norway comes 6%; 3% comes in the form of a basic grant and 3% from supporting strategic programmes . SINTEF collaborates closely with the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and the University of Oslo (University of Oslo). Personnel from NTNU work on SINTEF projects, while SINTEF staff teaches at NTNU. The SINTEF-NTNU community involves the widespread joint use of laboratories and equipment.

Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences (IOPAS): IOPAS in Sopot was launched as the Marine Station in 1951. Since 1983 it is an autonomous legal entity, financed by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education. IOPAS mission is to generate knowledge to support sustainable use and effective protection of the marine environment through innovative, high level scientific and technological research. IOPAS has 160 employees including 12 professors and 50 doctors, and is the largest of its kind in Poland. It is divided into 5 departments (Marine Chemistry and Biochemistry, Physical Oceanography, Marine Ecology, Marine Physics and Genetics and Marine Biotechnology) and subdivided into 20 laboratories and its main activity takes place in the Baltic Sea and North Atlantic and the European Arctic regions. IOPAS was and is at present participating in international programs (e.g. BASYS, BIOCOLOR, ENRICH, VEINS, BIODAFF, ACSYS, BALTEX, IAPP, MARBEF) and in 2003-2005 was awarded the EU status of Center of Excellence in Shelf Seas Studies. A peer reviewed journal in English "Oceanologia" has been edited by IOPAS for 25 years.

The Laboratoire d’Océanographie et du Climat: Expérimentation et Approche Numérique (LOCEAN) is part of the reknowned Pierre et Marie Curie University (UPMC) based in Paris, France. UPMC represents 5000 permanent staff members and 20000 students. LOCEAN is a research laboratory of 80 scientists, engineers and administrative staff. There are 40 scientists including professors, senior scientists and associate scientists. LOCEAN is a leading laboratory in France for studying world-wide general oceanic circulation and physical oceanic processes based on observations and numerical modelling. In the past, studies have been conducted at all latitudes, equatorial and tropical, mid-latitudes and Polar Regions as well. LOCEAN has been involved in international programs such as TOGA, WOCE, JGOFS and IGBP. Most of LOCEAN senior scientists have been engaged as PIs and/or coordinators in several European Union projects of the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th framework programs.

Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, founded in 1946, is one of the leading Russian oceanographic institutes. SIORAS is involved in multidisciplinary (physical, chemical, biological, geological and geophysical) marine research activities. Marine expeditions, the basis of the scientific activity of the Institute, have covered almost the whole World Ocean area from the Arctic regions to Antarctica, and most of the sea basins of the Earth, with special attention given to the polar and upwelling regions. At the present time the Institute of Oceanology is a large scientific centre with more than 400 research staff. SIORAS has two departments - the Atlantic at the Baltic Sea and the Southern on the Black Sea coast, as well as a branch in St.-Petersburg. Working in close contact with SIORAS they carry out independent studies and serve as bases for research vessels. SIORAS is involved in a variety of national and international projects on marine biology, climate change scenarios, consequences of human activities on ecosystems and fisheries. SIORAS supervises and trains young scientists specializing in oceanology.

The Beijer Institute is an international research institute under the auspices of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. Its major objective is to carry out research and stimulate cooperation between scientists, university departments, research centers and institutes to promote a deeper understanding of the interplay between ecological systems and social and economic development. The Beijer Institute's major activities are international research programmes, synthesis workshops, a broad set of research projects, teaching and training programs, dissemination of results, the science-policy interface and collaborative communication.