1
Deli e able D1.2
The de ini ion o he pilo
se o Essen ial A c ic
Va iables
Ve sion numbe 1.0
Ve sion da e 25.11.2024
101003472 - A c ic
PASSION
Re . A es(2025)392212 - 17/01/2025
2
Wo k package
Es ablishing an adap i e and mo e
comple e A c ic Obse ing Sys em
Lead bene icia y
SIOS-KC (Task 1.1b)
NPI (WP1)
Lead au ho
Ilkka Ma e o – SIOS-KC
Con ibu o s
Heïdi Se es e - AMAP
Heikki Liha ainen – SIOS-KC
Jan Rene La sen – AMAP
Ka iina Veijola – FMI
Ma ibe h Mu ay - AINA
Mikko S ahlendo – FMI
Talia Wells - AINA
S a us
Comple e
Dissemina ion le el
Public
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1. Execu i e summa y .......................................................................................................................... 1
2. In oduc ion and he s uc u e o he epo .................................................................................. 1
3. Me hods and esul s ........................................................................................................................ 2
a. Pe ma os ................................................................................................................................... 4
b. Wild i es....................................................................................................................................... 4
c. Sea-ice.......................................................................................................................................... 6
4. Collabo a ions .................................................................................................................................. 7
a. Collabo a ion wi h o he Wo k Packages .................................................................................... 7
b. Ex e nal collabo a ion (e.g., s akeholde s, o he p ojec s/p og ammes)................................... 7
5. Policy ele ance and socie al bene i s ............................................................................................. 8
6. Re e ences ....................................................................................................................................... 9
a. Lis o ac onyms ........................................................................................................................... 9
b. Re e ences ................................................................................................................................... 9
1
1. Execu i e summa y
The de ini ion o Sha ed A c ic Va iables (SAVs) is an impo an componen o he e o s in A c ic
PASSION o ad ance A c ic obse a ion and da a sys ems. This epo ou lines he p ocess ha has been
pilo ed o h ee hemes – Pe ma os , Wild i es and Sea Ice – and guided by he ROADS (Roadmap o
A c ic Obse ing and Da a Sys ems) p ocess de eloped by he Sus aining A c ic Obse ing Ne wo ks
(SAON). The SAV de ini ion emphasizes sha ed owne ship o hese a iables ac oss scien i ic, Indigenous
and A c ic communi ies, as well as ele ance a local, egional and global scales. Inclusi i y and
engagemen wi h all A c ic igh s holde s and s akeholde s is a he hea o his p ocess. A collabo a i e
app oach in de ining SAVs aims o ensu e ha u u e A c ic obse a ion sys ems mee he needs o all
and con ibu e o he b oade goal o a sus ainable and esilien A c ic in he u u e.
In addi ion o he i s SAVs p oposed as an ou come o his wo k, he e o s desc ibed in his epo
ha e con ibu ed o he gene al amewo k o he SAV de ini ion p ocess. The ou comes o his wo k a e
expec ed o o e signi ican socie al bene i s h ough imp o ing he moni o ing and p edic ion o A c ic
changes, and he inclusion o Indigenous Knowledge and communi y needs ensu es ha he amewo k
add esses bo h local and global in e es s. The de ini ion o SAVs also p o ides esou ces o
in e na ional collabo a ion and A c ic go e nance h ough s anda diza ion o obse ing s a egies ac oss
bo de s. This epo summa izes he SAV de ini ion p ocess and ou comes om he e o s pilo ing his
p ocess.
2. In oduc ion and he s uc u e o he epo
The key mo i a ion behind A c ic PASSION is o con ibu e o he co-c ea ion and implemen a ion o a
cohe en , in eg a ed A c ic obse ing sys em. I aims o o e come known sho comings in he cu en
obse ing sys ems by e ining hei ope abili y, imp o ing, and ex ending pan-A c ic scien i ic and
communi y-based moni o ing and in eg a ing Indigenous and Local knowledge. I also aims o imp o e
access o and in e ope abili y o A c ic da a sys ems and se ices, and o help ensu e he economic
iabili y and sus ainabili y o he obse ing sys em.
The iden i ica ion and implemen a ion o Sha ed A c ic Va iables (SAV) a e key elemen s in A c ic
PASSION and he objec i e is o de ine SAVs o h ee hemes. This de ini ion wo k ollows and is guided
by he ROADS1 (Roadmap o A c ic Obse ing and Da a Sys ems) p ocess ha was de eloped by
Sus aining A c ic Obse ing Ne wo ks (SAON, h ps://a c icobse ing.o g) and he pa icipan s in he
biennial A c ic Obse ing Summi s (AOS, h ps://a c icobse ingsummi .o g). The SAVs we e ini ially
de eloped unde an essen ial a iable amewo k as Essen ial A c ic Va iables (EAV), and hey we e
e e ed o as EAVs in he p oposal s age o A c ic PASSION when his deli e able was w i en. Some o
he key mo i a o s behind he enaming o EAVs o SAVs we e o emphasize he sha ed owne ship and
bene i s o he SAV amewo k, and o dis inguish hem om he essen ial a iable amewo k o The
Global Clima e Obse ing Sys em (GCOS) o he Wo ld Me eo ological O ganiza ion which a e p ima ily
a p oduc o he scien i ic and modelling communi ies. The ‘sha ed’ aspec o SAVs highligh s ha he
in e es in a SAV can come om h ee le els:
1. Local - Mee ing communi y-iden i ied bene i s in Indigenous and o he A c ic communi ies.
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2. Regional - Suppo ing undamen al unde s anding o A c ic sys ems and egional decision-
making needs.
3. Global - In o ming science and decision-making needs a he global scale and in eg a ing wi h
ope a ional global ne wo ks.
This change in he expec ed ou comes om he ROADS p ocess o mo e om EAVs o SAVs has
complica ed he p ocess and is pa o he eason ha he p ocess has been mo e ime-consuming han
expec ed in he g an p epa a o y phase when he ask and deli e able we e d a ed. The de elopmen
o SAVs is a phased app oach (desc ibed below) wi h ou phases, each o an app oxima e du a ion o
hal a yea . Fo he h ee pilo SAV Expe Panels (EP) es ablished unde A c icPASSION, his has aken
longe , and he EPs a e unlikely o comple e all ou phases o he ROADS p ocess and o each he ull
de ini ion o he i s se o SAVs o all h ee hemes. The e is eason o belie e ha new EPs
es ablished a e his pilo e o can wo k h ough he phases in alignmen wi h he expec ed
comple ion imes.
The SAV de ini ion wo k in A c ic PASSION is acili a ed h ough EPs ha combine di e en wo ld iews
and expe ise o each o he h ee hemes. The panels comp ise ep esen a i es om he p ojec
pa ne s and ele an igh s holde and s akeholde g oups o each heme o ensu e ha he in e es s
and needs a all h ee le els (local, egional and global) a e me . Inclusi i y and collabo a ion wi h
indi iduals, o ganiza ions and communi ies ou side he A c ic PASSION p ojec is a c ucial guiding
p inciple o o ming he EPs. The de ini ion wo k is done in pa allel o he hemes by he EPs, wi h
egula dialogue be ween he panel acili a o s who a e all con ibu o s o he A c ic PASSION Task 1.1b
o which his deli e able is linked.
This epo i s summa izes he amewo k, me hods and ou comes o he de ini ion wo k o he h ee
SAV hemes pilo ed in A c ic PASSION: Pe ma os , Wild i es and Sea-Ice. This is ollowed by a
desc ip ion o he collabo a ions bo h wi hin he p ojec and wi h ex e nal collabo a o s. The epo also
includes key en isioned socie al and policy ele ance o he SAV de ini ion p ocess and e e ences.
3. Me hods and esul s
The Task 1.1b wo k o which his deli e able is linked is s ee ed by a ask eam wi h ep esen a i es
om he ollowing WP1 p ojec pa ne s: SIOS-KC, AMAP, FMI & AINA. The ask eam has o ganized
hei wo k h ough mon hly mee ings, in which ep esen a i es om he SAON ROADS Ad iso y Panel
(AP) and he A c ic PASSION coo dina o egula ly ake pa . These mee ings ocus on ensu ing ha he
SAV de ini ion and EP wo k a e aligned among he h ee hemes and se e as a o um o keeping ack
o p og ess in each.
The de ini ion and EP wo k is guided by a common amewo k ha is ollowed o all he hemes, and is
di ided in o 4 phases2:
1. Phase I – Ini ia e an Expe Panel
An Ini ial 2–3-pe son expe g oup will p opose an EP wi h scope, pu pose, gaps, socie al
bene i and ecommenda ion o a ull 10-12-pe son panel.
2. Phase II – De ine and Assess Impac ul Obse ables
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The EP will con ene and co-de elop he “why” o he plan, speci ically a cul u al- and policy-
ele an socie al bene i analysis and po en ial impac s.
3. Phase III – De elop Obse ing and Da a Sys ems Requi emen s
The EP will hen de elop he “who, wha , whe e, how and when” de ails o he plan.
4. Phase IV – De elop Implemen a ion S a egies
The EP will de elop s a egies o implemen hei well-de ined plan, including speci ic
commi men s. The EP and he SAON ROADS Ad iso y Panel will wo k o ge he plan adop ed
and implemen ed.
The ou comes and phase documen a ion om each o he cu en ly ac i e EPs unde he ROADS p ocess
can be accessed he e: h ps:// oadsad iso ypanel.o g/expe -panel
Figu e 1: Baske diag am o he In eg a ed Ad iso y P ocess. The di e en ypes o Expe Panels (Regional, Topical and Issue-
D i en) a e examples o he possible oci o he EPs ha a e being se up as pa o he p ocess.
Each o he planned phases is expec ed o ake app oxima ely six mon hs o comple e, wi h he o al
ime o SAV de ini ion wo k expec ed o ake app oxima ely wo yea s om ini ia ion o comple ion
(Fig. 1). A c ic PASSION is pilo ing his SAV EP p ocess and is in wo-way dialogue wi h he SAON ROADS
AP on co-de eloping he in eg a ed ad iso y p ocess including discussion o he p oposed imelines. The
p ocess is ongoing and he SAV de ini ion wo k o he h ee hemes is aking longe han he six mon hs
pe phase sugges ing ha mo e lexibili y bo h wi h espec o p oposed imelines and pa hways o
iden i ica ion o SAVs is needed. Co-de elopmen is no a one size i s all p ocess, and lexibili y is
equi ed gi en he expec ed ime commi men s om panel membe s, and he many di e en cul u al,
knowledge, local, egional and na ional pe spec i es. The p og ess and esul s om each o he h ee
hemes a e speci ied below.
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a. Pe ma os
The e a e wo en a i e i les o he heme, ei he “Pe ma os ” o “Li ing on F ozen G ound”. This
heme was chosen because expec ed changes in he pe ma os condi ions a e ha ing and will con inue
o ha e signi ican consequences o bo h A c ic communi ies and he na u al en i onmen . The EP has
wo egional oci: Tuk oyak uk in he No hwes Te i o ies, Canada, and he No wegian A chipelago in
S alba d. The EP has Indigenous ep esen a i es om Tuk oyak uk, enginee s, local communi y
membe s in S alba d and scien is s wo king in he A c ic om he Na u al, Heal h and Social Sciences.
The EP has had wo in-pe son wo kshops and wo online wo kshops.
Phase I is comple e and he EP is p epa ing o submi he phase II (Fig. 1) epo and has s a ed
discussing phase III o he In eg a ed Ad iso y P ocess. The phase II epo is expec ed o include a
p oposal o he i s se o SAVs including (1) Ac i e Laye Thickness and (2) G ound de o ma ion.
Impac s o changes in pe ma os on human heal h ha e been discussed as a po en ial hi d SAV, and
he EP is cu en ly in discou se abou whe he o include his.
One o he key ou comes om he phase II wo k o he EP was an assessmen o he socie al bene i s
lowing om imp o ed obse ing and unde s anding o expec ed and ongoing changes in pe ma os
condi ions in he A c ic. The In e na ional A c ic Obse a ions Assessmen F amewo k (IAOAF)4 was used
o he assessmen , and he mos p onounced bene i s will come om imp o ed disas e p epa edness,
imp o ed sa e y o in as uc u e and ope a ions, and imp o ed human heal h h ough be e
unde s anding u u e changes and educing s ess wi hin A c ic communi ies.
The EP expec s o deli e he phase II epo be o e he end o he yea 2024, and o ge he phase
documen a ion e ised and accep ed wi hin he p ojec ime ame. They also expec o con inue
discussion on phase III o he p ocess in a hyb id mee ing as pa o he ASSW2025 in Boulde , Colo ado,
USA. These delibe a ions will include ag eeing on s ewa dship o he EP beyond he A c ic PASSION
p ojec , and how o con inue in o phase IV and comple ion o he SAV de ini ion.
b. Wild i es
This heme was chosen as wild i es ha e become mo e in ense and mo e equen and a e nega i ely
a ec ing people who li e in he A c ic and especially Indigenous People. The SAV wo k is ongoing o
wo egions: Finland and No h Ame ica. The Finnish SAV wo k is led by he Finnish Me eo ological
Ins i u e FMI and he No h Ame ican SAV wo k con inues now led by he esea che o m he Uni e si y
o Alaska Fai banks. In Finland, he e ha e been ou in-pe son wo kshops. The e has been some emo e
pa icipa ion as well. In he No h Ame ican wo k he e has been one ini ia ing mee ing in Finland in
which some o he pa icipan s a ended emo ely. The e was also a Wild i e session o ganized a he
A c ic Obse ing Summi (AOS) e en , in Edinbu gh.
The Finnish SAV wo k is in phase III; phase I and phase II documen s ha e been p epa ed wi h he phase
II documen in e ision and he phase III documen soon o be inalized. In Finland, he Na ional Wild i e
p ojec (A c ic Wild i e P epa edness) has suppo ed de ining Wild i e SAVs in A c ic PASSION.
Indigenous Sámi people (e.g. eindee he de s) a e engaged in he EP along wi h ep esen a i es om
he Lapland Rescue Se ice, he Finnish Fo es Cen e , Regional Adminis a ion, and esea che s om
Finland and elsewhe e.
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Du ing phase I, many a iables o in e es ela ed o igni ion and i e p one a eas we e iden i ied. The EP
o he Finnish Wild i e wo k consis ed o only a ew people a he s a o he p ocess. Se e al membe s
(including esea che s and Indigenous People) om di e en backg ounds joined he EP in la e s ages,
and i was expanded u he .
In phase II, socie al bene i s we e assessed using he IAOAF amewo k o link wild i e- ela ed
obse a ions o socie al bene i s in di e en a eas. A Wild i e Value T ee was c ea ed and 49 key
objec i es om six Socie al Bene i A eas (SBA) ha we e ele an o wild i es we e iden i ied. Disas e
managemen and p o ec ing in as uc u es we e p esen in mos as he backg ound hemes. As a
esul , a p oposal o he SAV “Igni ion Iden i ica ion” was p esen ed in phase II epo . Igni ion
iden i ica ion can be used o ag alse ala ms and imp o e escue se ice applica ion o i e and smoke
p opaga ion p edic ions. Besides Ea h Obse a ion (EO) da a, local obse a ions a e also needed.
In phase III, a wo kshop was o ganized o de ine equi emen s o he p oposed SAV. In o ma ion was
ga he ed ela ed o human ac i i ies, igni ion de ec ion and i e p one e ain. Those elemen s a e
p oposed o inclusion in he igni ion iden i ica ion SAV (see Table 1). Du ing he SAV p ocess, he AP
e iewed he documen s, ga e commen s and aluable sugges ions o imp o e he documen s and
helped he EP p epa e o he nex phase. The phase III documen is now being imp o ed based on he
phase III documen a ion d a ed by he AP. The e is s ill some wo k o decide wha obse a ions, da a
sou ces, e c. will be included in he p oposed Wild i e SAV (see Figu e 1).
In phase IV, he pu pose is o implemen he p oposed SAV which may help people li ing o ac ing in he
A c ic o deal wi h wild i e, especially in inding ou wha is bu ning and wha is he expec ed i e sp ead
due o he i e sensi i i y o he e ain and wea he condi ions.
A he momen , he Finnish Wild i e wo k is going owa ds he implemen a ion phase. The EP o he
Finnish Wild i e SAV is wo king on a demo applica ion ela ed o he p oposed Wild i e SAV in ano he
Na ional Wild i e p ojec (Fi e Sensi i i y o A c ic Te ain) unded by he Minis y o o eign a ai s o
Finland. Un o una ely, some membe s o he EP a e no in ol ed a his s age o he SAV p ocess due o
compe ing obliga ions. The applica ion could be pa o he al eady exis ing LUONTOON.FI pla o m by
Me sähalli us ha has been p o ided o se e al yea s and is o eseen o con inue in he u u e. In
addi ion, wild i e wa nings could be added o he pla o m. The de elopmen o he obse a ion se ice
o people walking in na u e (demo) has s a ed and a e a yea , he demo will be es ed and so mo e
people (hike s e c.) may add in o ma ion (also pho os) e.g. e ain mois u e o he applica ion o help
escue se ices and o he use s o see how ulne able e ain is o i e igni ion and sp ead. The pu pose
is o also in ol e o he No dic coun ies in he SAV p ocess.
The No h Ame ican wo k is in phase I: The wo k o ini ia ing he EP con inues and he inal composi ion
o he EP is o ming. The e is a wo kshop planned o No h Ame ica in 2025 o b ing oge he he No h
Ame ican Wild i e EP and o con inue he in e es ing wo k ela ed o wild i e obse a ions, da a, and
needs so as o de ine he No h Ame ican Wild i e SAV. In his wo k, he Finnish SAV can be used as a
help ul example, al hough wild i es in Finland and No h Ame ica ha e many di e ences and he e could
be qui e a di e en SAV designed o he No h Ame ican egion o he A c ic. The e will be some
unding om he A c ic PASSION p ojec and o he unding has been applied o .
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Table 1. De ini ions o he elemen s o he Igni ion Iden i ica ion SAV.
Sha ed A c ic Va iable
De ini ion
Igni ion Iden i ica ion
Wild i e igni ion loca ion, sou ce and e ain cha ac e is ics a e iden i ied
and he p obable i e sp ead can be modelled. Igni ion iden i ica ion
consis s o h ee elemen s: human ac i i ies, igni ion de ec ion and i e
p one e ain.
Sha ed A c ic Va iable
Sub-Va iables
De ini ion
Igni ion Iden i ica ion
Human ac i i ies
Iden i ying and acking human ac i i ies in he
a ea ha may cause wild i e. Li elihood
ac i i ies, in as uc u e and ou ism, ca eless
o igno an use o i e, and ho spa ks o hea ed
pa s o wo king ehicles a e iden i ied as
igni ion isk ac o s. Iden i ying si es o igni ion
isk is key o wild i e p epa edness and
esponse.
Igni ion de ec ion
De ec ing igni ion o wild i e by using EO
sa elli es (ho spo s, smoke plumes) and human
de ec ion (ci izens, i e b igade in o ma ion).
Fi e p one e ain
Iden i ying e ain ha is p one o bu n easily
using e.g. soil/ ege a ion mois u e in o ma ion.
Fo example, d y o es hea hs a e pa icula ly
sensi i e igni ion si es.
c. Sea-ice
The ocus o he Sea Ice EP is he Ba in Bay egion. I is a egion undamen ally shaped by i s ice-co e ed
landscapes and whose ju isdic ion is sha ed by Inui in Canada and G eenland, and he go e nmen s o
Canada, G eenland, and Denma k. Sea ice is a c i ical pla o m o li e, o adi ional a el ou es, and
suppo s Indigenous subsis ence ac i i ies. Howe e , apid sea ice decline wi h espec o bo h ex en
and age o e ecen decades has p o oundly al e ed he egion leading o signi ican ecological s esso s
and in oducing new isks, challenges, and oppo uni ies o A c ic communi ies, he esea ch
communi y, and he public and p i a e sec o s. The objec i e o he Sea Ice EP is o acili a e con inued
and coo dina ed moni o ing o sea ice change in Ba in Bay. The egion, spanning om Ellesme e Island
o Nuna sia u , is no able o i s ex ensi e poli ical, economic, and cul u al ies be ween Canadian and
G eenlandic communi ies.
