Politics and war complicate global effort to study changes to Earth's poles: As preparations for the fifth International Polar Year kick off, organizers grapple with U.S. climate skepticism and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The article discusses the launch of the Arctic Ocean 2050 project, a significant 10-year initiative led by Norwegian scientists to study the rapidly changing Arctic region, coinciding with the preparations for the fifth International Polar Year (IPY-5). This project, which has a budget of $100 million, aims to investigate various aspects of the Arctic, including new shipping routes and the impact of climate change on marine ecosystems. However, the initiative faces challenges due to U.S. climate skepticism and geopolitical tensions stemming from Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which have hindered international collaboration. The article highlights the historical context of previous IPYs and emphasizes the need for equitable research partnerships and innovative approaches to secure funding and participation in IPY-5. [Extracted from the article]