New UArctic Publication: Arctic Research Trends, External Funding 2016-2022
This report presents an updated assessment building upon the groundwork laid by the studies published in 2016 and 2017 (Osipov et al., 2016 & 2017), focusing on analyzing the evolving global funding landscape surrounding Arctic-related research. While the prior reports scrutinized the periods spanning from 2006 to 2015 and 2007 to 2016, respectively, this current analysis spans from 2016 to 2022. Leveraging data from the comprehensive Dimensions4 dataset, encompassing insights from over 600 funders, and encompassing over 7 million awarded grants amounting to $2.4 trillion+ (in US Dollars).
Key Insights:
- Earth Sciences (10.3 percent) and Environmental Science (5.5 percent) emerge as the primary beneficiaries of Arctic research funding.
- The United States stands out as the largest contributor to Arctic research both in terms of expenditure and the initiation of projects, boasting the most extensive coverage within the dataset.
- Following the US, Canada and Russia rank as the second and third largest contributors respectively in terms of project initiation, with Norway and Sweden closely trailing.
- UArctic institutions emerge as pivotal players in the global Arctic research landscape.
- Researchers from Arctic Council Observer nations significantly contribute to Arctic research funding, with notable investment from the UK, Japan, Germany, and China.
- The European Union occupies the eighth position in terms of funding, characterized by a concentration of projects with substantial financial backing.
- Analysis reveals a stable trend in the relative volume of Arctic research funding from 2016 to 2022, aligning closely with the growth observed in the broader scientific community.
- Private funding and foundation contributions remain minimal, accounting for only one percent of projects initiated during 2016–2022.
In essence, primary sources of external public funding for Arctic research predominantly stem from the United States, Russia, Canada, and Norway, with the US emerging as the principal net contributor. Notably, this report does not delve into other forms of funding, such as base budgets. Moreover, the availability of data on public funding and funding amounts from Russia, Canada, and the Kingdom of Denmark may vary, with some funders not consistently disclosing net values in project profiles.
Read the full report here.