Arctic research faces unprecedented disruptions due to COVID-19. This ‘pause’ gives an opportunity to reflect on the current state and the future of Arctic science and move towards a more resilient, thus equitable, coordinated, safe and locally-embedded Arctic research enterprise. Arctic science has been greatly affected by COVID-19. This comment looks forward to how Arctic science could be conducted in the future suggesting some substantial shifts in priorities and approaches.

Arctic Science taking the local turn: Further embracing international cooperation, fostering community-science and public–private partnerships, and pursuing well-coordinated planning will pave the way to novel, bold global initiatives for Arctic science, such as a new International Polar Year-2033, which, however, should be based on the locally focused principles and priorities.

The authors promote the idea that the build-up to a next International Polar Year 2033 could provide a good framework for this new turn on Arctic Science.

Full article availabe at: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-19923-2