Arctic Research and Policy
The Office of Polar Programs (OPP) supports NSF's implementation of the Arctic Research and Policy Act.
Arctic Research and Policy Act (ARPA)
The Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984, Public Law 98-373, July 31, 1984; amended by Public Law 101-609, November 16, 1990 (ARPA), provides for a comprehensive national policy dealing with national research needs and objectives in the Arctic. The ARPA establishes an Arctic Research Commission (ARC) and an Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC) to help implement the Act.
IARPC is an inter-agency working group of the National Science and Technology Council on Environment, Natural Resources, and Sustainability.
Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC)
National Strategy For the Arctic Region
On May 10, 2013, the United States established its National Strategy for the Arctic Region joining nations around the world in articulating strategic priorities for this critical region. Input for the U.S. Arctic strategy was broadly solicited from the state of Alaska, Alaska natives, U.S. agencies, and others.
IARPC 5-Year Research Plan
The National Science and Technology Council released a second five-year Arctic Research Plan that outlines key areas of study the Federal government will undertake to better understand and predict environmental changes in the Arctic. For more information, go to the Interagency Arctic Research and Policy Committee page at https://www.nsf.gov/geo/opp/arctic/iarpc/start.jsp.
Additional policies can be found on the Polar Programs policies page.