The POMP project has joined more than 40 coordinators of EU Polar Cluster projects in co-signing a joint letter addressed to EU leaders and decision-makers, including Members of the European Parliament, the European Commission, and national governments.
The letter highlights the critical importance of polar science for Europe’s preparedness, sustainability, and security. It calls for polar research to remain a key priority in the upcoming 10th EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (FP10) and the 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).
As the Arctic and Antarctic continue to change rapidly, their impacts are increasingly felt far beyond the polar regions. Rising sea levels, more extreme weather events, permafrost thaw, ice-sheet loss, and other climate tipping points have direct consequences for Europe and the world. Understanding these processes requires long-term scientific observations, robust research infrastructures, and continued international collaboration.
“Continued and expanded EU investment in polar science is not optional but essential,” the letter states. “Polar research underpins Europe’s leadership in climate science, resilience, and evidence-based policy.”
By signing this letter, POMP reinforces its commitment to advancing polar science and supporting the evidence base needed for climate action, biodiversity protection, and sustainable ocean governance. The project’s work on polar ocean biodiversity, blue carbon, carbon dynamics, and climate feedbacks directly contributes to the wider scientific effort to understand how polar ecosystems are changing and what this means for the planet.
The EU Polar Cluster stresses that future EU research programmes must build on the achievements of Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe by ensuring dedicated support for polar science. This includes funding for long-term observations, research infrastructures, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the next generation of polar researchers.
The letter also aligns with recent calls from the European Polar Board and supports preparations for the International Polar Year 2032–2033, a major opportunity to strengthen global cooperation and place polar science at the centre of climate knowledge and policy.
Through this joint action, POMP joins the wider European polar research community in calling for sustained EU leadership in polar science, ensuring that Europe continues to provide the knowledge needed to respond to global environmental change.