19 August 2026

The annual PCAPS Open Session will be held at the Norwegian Meteorological Institute in Oslo, Norway this August. Join and help shape the future of polar environmental forecasting.

Date: Wednesday, 19 August 2026

Time: 13.00–16.30

Place: Norwegian Meteorological Institute, Oslo, Norway

About PCAPS Open Session 2026

The 2026 Open Session explores how to collaborate effectively so that environmental data in dynamic polar regions are available to those who need them, when they need them. Focusing on the full value cycle - from data generation/observations/curation to data sharing and use - the Open Session facilitates a dialogue on how to build and sustain trustworthy data-sharing collaborations across disciplines, sectors, and borders.

Key themes include data accessibility and interoperability, the design of resilient public-private partnerships, and navigating the dual-use nature of environmental datasets in both Antarctic and Arctic regions. Particular emphasis is placed on trust in governance arrangements, norms, and infrastructures that can uphold openness, quality, and security over time, including the impact of AI-driven tools. Implications of, and for, different knowledge systems, especially in the Arctic, will be central to discussions of ownership, consent, and benefit sharing.

The 2026 Open Session invites participants to explore differences and commonalities across polar regions and identify practical steps to strengthen inclusive, ethical, and durable data collaborations.

Agenda and further details forthcoming later this month, but in the meantime, please mark your calendars!

Logistics

• Refreshments will be provided.

• We aim for a primarily on-site workshop. However, the keynote presentations will be streamed online.

• If you are interested in joining the Open Session in-person, please reach out to us.

• Further information on how to join online will be shared in due course.