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 Today's Congressional Action:
The Senate will consider the National Defense Authorization Act. The House of Representatives will consider H.R. 1965, the Federal Lands Jobs and Energy Security Act.
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 Defense Bill's 52-Year Record Will be Test Once Again. The defense authorization bill, which the Senate looks set to debate at least for the rest of the week, is the congressional version of the movie blockbuster that has it all: An amazing array of cool hardware, whiz-bang special effects, political intrigue, spymaster secrecy and some inappropriate sexual behavior - not to mention a staggeringly big price tag. The measure also has a unique characteristic in the annals of the modern Congress, and all the more striking given the almost totally gridlocked state of legislative affairs: A National Defense Authorization Act has been enacted annually since 1961. Roll Call
Appropriations Chafe at Budget Stalemate. Appropriators are growing ever more frustrated by the apparent stalemate in the bipartisan budget talks. Seventeen days ago, House Appropriations Chairman Harold Rogers - along with his Senate counterpart, Barbara A. Mikluski, D-Md. - asked the budget conference committee to swiftly agree upon topline numbers at which to write fiscal 2014 and 2015 spending bills. On Monday, with no agreement in sight and the clock ticking down to the Dec. 13 deadline to reach a budget deal, the Kentucky Republican tried again. Roll Call
 Close Encounters of the Polar Bear Kind. Recent encounters between polar bears and Arctic communities have scientists concerned that climate change may be forcing the world's largest land carnivore to enter urban areas more frequently in search of alternative food sources. In the past two months, there have been two separate attacks, in the Canadian town of Churchill, a small town on the west shore of Hudson Bay and an area commonly known as the polar bear capital of the world. The attacks resulted in the injury of three people. Arctic Journal
Norway-US Alliance to Develop Emissions Reduction Scheme. The governments of the US and Norway are working out plans to jointly develop carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology. CCS is the process of collecting waste carbon dioxide in order to prevent it from being released into the atmosphere. The captured gas is then stored underground beneath large geographical formations. Arctic Journal
Russia and Korea in Arctic MoU. Russia's Maritime Register of Shipping (RS) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Korean Register (KR) for technical cooperation on icebreakers and LNG.The deal was agreed at the Korea-Russia Business Dialogue meeting in Seoul, attended by Russian president Vladimir Putin and South Korean president Park Guen-hye. Seatrade Global
 Navy Prepares Fleet for More Arctic Missions. The Navy is accelerating research and technology programs aimed at preparing the fleet to operate in the Arctic. Navy leaders had been preparing to increase the services' Arctic presence by the mid-2030s, but they are now accelerating the timetable to the mid-2020s due to the warming of the waters and the rapid pace of melting ice. Rising water temperatures means less ice in the Arctic, creating a circumstance wherein more open waterways will emerge. As a result, the Navy is putting the final touches on a new Updated Arctic Road Map designed to help the service achieve a more Arctic-capable fleet. DOD Buzz
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Legislative Action
No Arctic legislation was formally considered Friday.
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Future Events
Canadian Science Policy Conference: Ocean Research and Policy Panel, November 21, 2013. (Toronto, Ontario) Ocean Networks of Canada will host a panel to bring together research and policy leaders to address how ocean science can inform, promote, and implement Canadian policy in key areas such as: hazard mitigation, climate change mitigation and adaptation (particularly because of the amplified changes in the Arctic Ocean), ocean health, renewable and non-renewable resource assessment, sovereignty and security, and socio-economic development. Central to achieving this goal is establishing and strengthening strong partnerships between research organizations and federal and provincial science-based departments and agencies. Executive Director of the US Arctic Research Commission John Farrell is a member of the panel.
Arctic Cities, Global Processes, and Local Realities, December 2-4, 2013 (Rovaniemi, Finland).
"The conference is organized jointly by the City of Rovaniemi and the Arctic Centre of the University of Lapland, Finland. The goal of the conference is to present the latest scientific research and knowledge about the global processes as they become local realities. Even if the Conference is scientific in orientation, it aims to bridge science and knowledge into action by bringing top scholars to share their research results, and to organize joint discussion with the leaders of the Arctic Cities. Sessions include: Rovaniemi Process: past, present, future; Arctic responses to global environmental problems; people and extractive industries; tourism in the Arctic; the Arctic in global economy; climate change in the Arctic; indigenous peoples in cities; and, Arctic global flows. Cross-cutting themes include: Arctic cities and global processes; management and governance in the Arctic; and, Arctic together with non-Arctic."
The Alaska Arctic Policy Commission will convene to continue working on their draft of Alaska's Arctic Policy. This Preliminary Report will be submitted to the State Legislature on January 30, 2014 and will help guide the Commission's work in 2014 as they prepare to submit a final Report in January 2015. At the Anchorage meeting Commissioners will review and discuss draft Arctic policy statements, specific preliminary recommendations, and the supporting background document. See www.akarctic.com for a draft agenda and additional information as it becomes available.
Public testimony will be accepted Monday, Dec 9 from 11:15a-12:30p, limited to 3min. Supplementary written testimony can be emailed to aapcgovernance@gmail.com
Meeting will be audio streamed live on akl.tv
American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting, December 9-13. (San Francisco, CA)
The AGU Fall Meeting is the largest worldwide conference in the  geophysical sciences, attracting more than 24,000 Earth and space scientists, educators, students, and other leaders. For 46 years, scientists from around the world gather at the AGU Fall Meeting to exchange information and broaden their knowledge base. In addition to the scientific programming, the meeting offers over 50 Town Halls and Workshops, including one on Monday, Dec. 9, titled, "Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC) and Study of Environmental Arctic Change (SEARCH), organized by Helen Wiggins, Brendan Kelly, and Hajo Eicken, from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm in 2018 Moscone West.
Search the AGU meeting for Arctic-related research sessions here.
Alaska Marine Science Symposium, January 20-24, 2014. (Anchorage, Alaska) The mission of the Alaska Marine Science Symposium is to bring together scientists, policymakers, students, educators, media and the public to share research findings focused on Alaska's marine fisheries and ecosystems. The Symposium is built around regional themes-Bering Sea, Arctic Ocean, and the Gulf of Alaska. Within each theme, there will be discussions on climate, oceanography, lower tropic levels, the benthos, fishes and invertebrates, seabirds, marine mammals, local and traditional knowledge, and socioeconomic research.
The agenda is available here.
The Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research of the University of Colorado will host the workshop. This year's theme is "Arctic's New Normal." The workshop will consider shifting environmental baselines over decades to millennia and comparisons with the Antarctic. Previous Workshops have included presentations on Arctic and Antarctic climate, atmospheric chemistry, environmental geochemistry, paleoenvironment, archeology, geomorphology, hydrology, glaciology, soils, ecology, oceanography, Quaternary history and more.
Association of American Geographers Polar Geography Sessions, April 8-12, 2014. Tampa, Florida. Polar Geography Sessions are being planned in areas such as Sustainable Development in the Arctic, Urbanization and Transportation in the Arctic, etc. Contact Scott Stephenson (stephenson@ucla.edu) for more information, and see attached flyer.
Arctic Science Summit Week April 5-8, 2014 and Arctic Observing Summit, April 9-11, Helsinki, Finland. ASSW is a gathering for Arctic research organizations. Any organization engaged in supporting and facilitating arctic research is welcome to participate. The ASSW meeting in 2014 will be arranged during April 5-8 in Helsinki Kumpula Campus, in the facilities of FMI and Physics Department of the University of Helsinki. Second circular here.
International Congress of Arctic Social Sciences, May 22-26, 2014 (Prince George, British Columbia). "The International Arctic Social Sciences Association (IASSA) announces the 8th International Congress of Arctic Social Sciences (ICASS VIII).ICASS is held every three years, bringing together people from all over the world to share ideas about social science research in the Arctic. ICASS VII, held in Akureyri in June 2011, attracted 450 participants from 30 different countries. ICASS VIII's theme is Northern Sustainabilities. By using the plural, we underscore both that "sustainability" has social, cultural, economic, political and environmental dimensions, and that definitions of the concept vary."
 IceTech14: International Conference and Exhibition on Performance of Ships and Structures in Ice, July 28-31, 2014 (Banff, Alberta, Canada). "The focus will be on the general theme of performance of ships and structures in ice - but with emphasis and special sessions on looking to the future in a warming world. Coverage will include technical aspects of offshore operations in Arctic and ice populated waters, as well related ice mechanics, icebreaking and ice resistance, global warming and geopolitical effects, safety and EER, subsea facilities and operations, and other relevant subjects in a polar context particularly in view of current global concerns. Both technical papers and selected panel sessions will be included. We will also continue to host a small commercial exhibition for organizations wishing to set up stand."
Abstract Submission Deadline: November 17, 2013
Arctic Science Summit Week, April 23-30, 2015. (Toyama, Japan) ASSW is the annual gathering of international organizations engaged in supporting and facilitating Arctic research. The purpose of the summit is to provide opportunities for coordination, collaboration and cooperation in all areas of Arctic science. IASC's (International Arctic Science Committee) 25th anniversary will be celebrated during ASSW2015. The summit presents an opportunity to review IASC contributions and recognize those who have been instrumental in its founding, development and growth. ASSW2015 will also include the 3rd International Conference on Arctic Research Planning (ICARP III) and the 4th International Symposium on the Arctic Research (ISAR-4). These four-day symposia create a platform for exchanging knowledge, inspiring cross fertilization, and promoting collaboration. The summit attracts scientists, students, policy makers and other professionals from all over the world.
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