The next International Polar Year (2032–2033)

Updated November 2026

A fifth International Polar Year, known as IPY-5, is planned for 2032–2033, 25 years after the last one. Planning began in 2022, a coordination office in Tromsø, Norway, is due to open in early 2027, and the main period of fieldwork will run across 2032 and 2033.

Status as of November 2026. IPY-5 is still in its planning and early project phase. Exact start and end dates for the 2032–2033 observing period had not been published on the official pages checked for this guide. Plans may change, so check ipy5.info for the latest.

Who is organizing it

IPY-5 is coordinated by two scientific bodies that each look after one polar region:

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the International Science Council (ISC) are sponsors alongside them. Other early supporters include the University of the Arctic, the International Arctic Social Sciences Association and the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS). A Planning Group of international organizations shapes the program: 31 organizations had taken part in discussions by mid-2024, and the group had grown to more than 36 by August 2026.

The working structure has several layers: the Planning Group sets direction, an Executive Committee oversees work between meetings, an Interim Secretariat runs day-to-day support until the permanent office opens, and National Committees coordinate each country's contribution.

The coordination office

In August 2026, Norway announced that it will host the IPY-5 International Coordination Office, in partnership with the Republic of Korea and Chile. Four institutions on three continents are involved:

The office has a budget of US$10 million over nine years, with funding starting on 1 January 2027. That works out to about US$1.1 million a year ($10 million ÷ 9). Its tasks include supporting the Planning Group and Executive Committee, ensuring that Indigenous Peoples take part and help lead the work (an Indigenous liaison officer is among the first two priority hires), promoting open science and supporting early-career researchers. It is expected to operate until at least the end of 2035.

Timeline so far

Key IPY-5 planning milestones
DateMilestone
2021Early discussions begin among polar research and Indigenous Peoples' organizations
13 Dec 2022IASC and SCAR confirm that preparatory work has started
Oct 2023First Concept Note and planning timeline published
Jul 2024Call for more organizations to join the Planning Group
Oct 2024Republic of Korea chosen to host the joint SCAR–IASC Polar Conference in 2030; updated Concept Note released
Jun 2025WMO Executive Council endorses WMO's participation
15 Oct 2025Calls open for National Committees, bids to host the coordination office, and project endorsements from 2026
Aug 2026Norway, with Korea and Chile, announced as coordination office hosts
9 Oct 2026IPY-5 Progress Update Report 2026 published, with an updated timeline

What happens next

What IPY-5 aims to do

The organizers describe the mission simply: to bring the world together to understand rapid change in the Arctic and Antarctic. The stated objectives are to build the knowledge, scientific capacity and lasting connections needed for a more resilient future. Three ideas run through the planning documents:

Activities can include research, observing, education, outreach, capacity building and knowledge sharing. This is broader than the first polar years, which were mainly about weather and magnetism (see History of the IPYs).

How to follow and take part

Sources