Marketing and Outreach: The Arctic Theme Page and
Arctic Change Detection
Nancy SoreideNOAA/PMEL
May 17-18, Boulder, CO
“… combining the interests of the scientific community … with those of the computer science and engineering community to create integrated, tool-oriented computing and communication systems… ”
National Research Council
NOAA Strategic Plan• Successful, theme-based web pages support NOAA’s mission strategy:
“Engage, advise, and inform individuals, partners, communities, and industries to facilitate information flow, assure coordination and cooperation, and provide assistance in the use, evaluation, and application of information” *
• Websites that present NOAA science, data, analysis and information in a manner that is clear, scientifically validated, useful, interesting and intelligible by a broad audience support NOAA in promoting the
“increased use and effectiveness of climate information for decision makers and managers” *
* NOAA Strategic Plan for FY2003 – FY2008 and Beyond http://www.osp.noaa.gov/docs/NOAA_Final_Strategic_Plan_March31st.
Data Quality Act
• Congress has directed OMB to issue government-wide guidelines for:
“ensuring and maximizing the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of information disseminated by Federal agencies …" *
* Section 515(a) of the Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2001
Communicating Arctic
Information
The Arctic Theme PageA Comprehensive Resourcehttp://www.arctic.noaa.gov
• Photographs• Maps• Animals• Ships• Northern Lights• Exploration• Data• Climate indices
• Educational links• Environment• Pollution• Archaeology• Native Peoples• Forecasts• Climate programs• Expert Essays
Comprehensive Information Resource
The Arctic Theme Pagehttp://www.arctic.noaa.gov
Expert Essays on key Arctic issues
• How do scientists study climate change? Nick Bond• Are environmental changes impacting Alaska Natives? Caleb Pungowiyi• UVB radiation: Threat to the Arctic? Betsy Weatherhead• How does Arctic sea ice form and decay? Peter Wadhams• How has sea ice volume changed? Norbert Untersteiner• Is sea level affected by changes in Arctic land ice? Roger Barry• What long term trends are seen in the Arctic atmosphere? John Walsh• Is mercury a significant contaminant? Steve Lindberg/Steve Brooks• What organisms thrive in Arctic sea ice? Christopher Krebs/Jody Deming• Is there life on the Arctic sea floor? Peter Vogt• Arctic Wolves and their prey David Mech• What’s happening to Polar Bears? Scott Schliebe• The puzzling Arctic summer of 2003 – Norbert Untersteiner
The Arctic Theme Pagehttp://www.arctic.noaa.gov
Integrated NOAA Arctic Web Presence
• Integrates all NOAA’s Arctic-related activities– Arctic Theme Page– Arctic Research Activities
• Climate research• Ecosystem research• Arctic Research Office
The Arctic Theme Pagehttp://www.arctic.noaa.gov
Impact• 5000-6000
hits/day
• Science magazine, USA Today, Yahoo, Scientific American
• Ranks #1 or #2 on Google search
• Significant NOAA Web Presence
The Arctic Theme Pagehttp://www.arctic.noaa.gov
Arctic Change Detection
• Purpose– Increase Issue Awareness, Inform
Dialogue, Support Decision Making• User Community
– Leaders and Residents of Circumpolar Nations and Communities, Industries/Decision Makers/Climate Scientists, Public and Educational Communities
Arctic Change Detection
• Addresses core Arctic issues (ACIA Report)– Relevant, effective, reliable,
understandable, objective Information – Information that Users can Relate to– Narrative Style– Issues relate to Benefits, Risks
• Expert evaluation of current and credible information from expert sources
• Multi-year, multi-government effort effort by hundreds of scientists
• Identified key issues• Synthesized 1500
page report into 10 key findings
• Draft report finalized in November 2004
ACIA Report
• Converted the ACIA ten key findings into six core issues
• Here are the first four
Arctic Change Indicator
s
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