The impact of global warming is most pronounced in the Arctic. The rapid decline in sea ice and the accelerated melting of ice sheets are affecting the global environment. Serious concerns about the future are shared globally. The decline in sea ice in the Arctic is expected to dramatically expand economic activities in the region, including the use of the Northern Sea Route and harvesting seabed resources. However, the expansion in economic activities may damage the environment and ecosystems of the region, which have a poor capacity for restoration. This also entails the risk of global environmental changes.

With the objective of making progress toward realizing a sustainable society, cutting-edge researches are conducted under this project such as exploring environmental changes and their processes in the Arctic as well as the advancement of weather and climate forecasting. This is a national flagship project carried out to evaluate the societal impact of the drastic environmental changes with the goal of applying the findings for the human benefit. The research findings are provided to domestic and international stakeholders with the aim of introducing international regulations in the Arctic.