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Opening of Greenland Climate Research Centre

A new climate research centre is about to open in Greenland for studying climate changes and their consequences to nature and communities in the Arctic.

The Greenland Climate Research Centre will open today, Friday 1 May, in Nuuk, Greenland's capital, backed by a grant of DKK 35 million from the Danish Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation. Professor and marine biologist Søren Rysgaard will be head of the new centre, Greenland's "climate university".

– It is particularly important to support this research in Greenland, because Greenland's population is directly affected by the changes. At the same time it will ensure that climate research in Denmark and Greenland can play an even more prominent role in the future, says Science Minister Helge Sander.

Jointly with Tommy Marø, who is Greenland's Minister for Research, the Danish Science Minister and the grant from the globalisation pool have provided the basis for Denmark and Greenland being able to continue their important contributions to research into climate changes and the ensuing consequences to nature and communities in the Arctic.

In Greenland, Tommy Marø is very glad to see a new climate research centre being placed in Nuuk:

– In Greenland we are very pleased to host this climate research centre. I hope that it will find solutions to many of the challenges that we may soon have to face, says Tommy Marø. Greenland also contributes to financing the new climate research centre. For instance, we have made office facilities available at the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources in Nuuk, says Tommy Marø.

The Director of the Centre, Søren Rysgaard, has been professor at the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources in Nuuk for the last four years and has already established a flourishing research environment there. He will still have an office at the Institute of Natural Resources. In addition to the Centre Director, a professor or associate professor within the social sciences will be appointed, attached to Ilisimatusarfik, Greenland's university, and subsequently it is expected that five to eight new research projects will be launched.

The Greenland Climate Research Centre is notably intended to study the effects of climate changes and how we can adapt our society to live with them. Precisely in the Arctic region there are visible signs of climate changes already now, with effects such as loss of sea ice and ice cap melting.

Further information

For further comments from Science Minister Helge Sander, please contact Information Manager Allan Boldt, tel.: +45 33 92 97 39, abo@vtu.dk .

Greenland's Minister for Research, Tommy Marø, can be contacted on tel. +299 34 50 00.

Professor Søren Rysgaard, Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, can be contacted on tel. +299 36 12 00, e-mail rysgaard@natur.gl .