Polar Resource Book

2010 Polar Resource Book Cover
Photo Credit: Christian Morel

About the Polar Resource Book

The Polar Resource Book (PRB)- Polar Science and Global Climate: An International Resource for Education and Outreach was created in 2010 to ensure efforts catalyzed by the International Polar Year (IPY) 2007-2008 will continue to inspire educators, students, and emerging polar researches into the next generation with a shared commitment to outreach and education.

It comprises information on polar research and the history of the IPY. It addresses climate change related issues from the perspectives of the Indigenous population in the Arctic. It provides a selection of teaching resources on six polar themes (atmosphere, ice, ocean, land, people and space) and showcases large-and small-scale education and outreach projects successfully carried out during the IPY. At the time, the project received support from a wide range of actors who are a part of the IPY community, the World  Meteorological Organization (WMO), the International Science Council (ISC), as well as the Canadian IPY Secretariat and IPY program, the National Academies of the United States, the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) and the organising committee of the flagship IPY Oslo Science Conference (OSC), and the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS).

The book has so far been only available in a printed format, but we are now making it available to you online. Click the download link below to request access to the chapters of the PRB so you can use it for your education and outreach activities and help inspire the next generation!

The Polar Resource Book II Project

Now almost a decade old, it is time to update the PRB! The polar regions are changing rapidly, and new developments in polar sciences, education and outreach have been made since the book was originally published.

Polar Educators International, the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS), the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), and the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) are teaming up to create a new, updated and open access resource with the same goals as the original, but for a new cohort of polar scientists, educators, and learners!

To ensure the resource remains useful for future generations, it will not only be updated but will also include new forms of education, such as online learning and citizen science. New resources written by scientists and educators will share emerging areas of polar research, such as use of remotely operated vehicles and satellite data, microplastics and the exploration of subglacial lakes. The updated version will also demonstrate successful approaches to public engagement in science and engineering, such as science through the art, storytelling and broadcasting, including social media. The goal is also to remove barriers to access such as language and to connect polar communities in order to share knowledge and understanding and to support educators around the globe.

To download the original resource and contribute to the future of the Polar Resource Book, click the button below.

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