The Fram Centre

FRAM – High North Research Centre for Climate and the Environment (Fram Centre) contributes to maintaining Norway’s prominent status in the management of environment and natural resources in the North.


Foto: Knut Jenssen/Framsenteret.

The Fram Centre is the short name for FRAM - High North Research Centre for Climate and the Environment. The Fram Centre is based in Tromsø, and consists of about 500 scientists from 20 institutions involved in interdisciplinary research in the fields of natural science, technology and social sciences.

 Fram Centre members:

We contribute to Norway’s sound management of the environment and natural resources in the north – and we aim at excellence in said management. With scientific research as our foundation, we communicate knowledge to management authorities, the business communities and the general public.

The centre contributes to strengthening the connection between research and education. The Fram Centre is an important arena nationally as well as internationally, and contributes with inputs on climate-related issues.

Organisation of the centre

The Committee of institutional directors is the Fram Centre’s chief co-operative body and consists of the heads of the member institutions that make up the Fram Centre as well as the chair of the board of Framsenteret AS and the head of the Fram Centre’s research heads’ group.

The Norwegian Ministry of the Environment and other ministries which are members of the Ministerial steering committee for the Fram Centre, attend the Committee of institutional directors as observers. The chair is Jan-Gunnar Winther (Norwegian Polar Institute).

The research heads’ group is the Fram Centre’s chief co-operative body for heads of research. The group consists of one appointed representative from each of the 20 member institutions that wish to participate, and the heads of the Flagship research programmes. The chair of the research heads’ group is Sidsel Grønvik (Norwegian Institute for Nature Research).

The company Framsenteret AS is owned by the Fram Centre’s member institutions. Framsenteret AS acts as the secretariat for the Committee of institutional directors, and assists the chair of the Committee of institutional directors to prepare business for and to conduct the committee.

Framsenteret AS is responsible for co-ordinating research and outreach in the Fram Centre in co-operation with the Committee of institutional directors, the research heads’ group and the Flagship research programmes.

Framsenteret AS is also responsible for operating the collective services in the Fram Centre itself. The General Manager of Framsenteret AS is Are Johnsen.

Download our brochure in pdf-formate: fram_A4_engelsk_web.pdf

Flagship research programmes

Click on titles to get longer text in norwegian and english.

Sea ice in the Arctic Ocean, technology and agreements

Melting of sea ice in the Arctic greatly impacts the global climate. This flagship focuses on social and management challenges to fisheries, shipping and petroleum-related activities. New challenges and technological solutions pertaining to rescue and oil spill response are addressed.

Effects of climate change on sea and coastal ecology in the north

Research in this programme will address the multiple ways climate change impacts the physical conditions of fjords and coasts and how, in turn, habitats and food supply are affected.

Ocean acidification and ecosystems effects in Northern waters

This flagship programme will contribute to a more complete understanding of ocean acidification. This process will affect the productivity of ecosystems, impacting ecosystem-based management and the exploitation of commercial resources, especially in the cold waters of the North, where the uptake of CO2 is substantial.

Effects of climate change on terrestrial ecosystems, landscapes, society and indigenous peoples.

Changes in Northern terrestrial ecosystems will be highly relevant to society, in particular for agriculture, forestry, reindeer herding and nature-based industries, species and area conservation, tourism and recreation. Issues related to climate adaptation in the North, as well the significance of climate change for Sámi culture and settlement will be included this flagship.

Hazardous substances – effects on ecosystems and human health

Climate change reinforces the importance of filling the gaps in our understanding of the distribution of pollutants in the Arctic and their effects on ecosystems and human health. This flagship programme also addresses the need for this knowledge to be incorporated in international agreements and processes.

More reading

Projects in the Fram Centtre flagships 2013:

Oversikt+-+prosjekter+i+flaggskipene+2013.pdf

Projects in the Fram Centre flagships 2012: 

Oversikt+-+prosjekter+i+flaggskipene+2012.pdf

Projects in the Fram Centre flagships 2011

 Oversikt+-+prosjekter+i+flaggskipene+2011.pdf

 

Other outreach channels from the Fram Centre  in English language:

Journal: FRAM Forum 

This journal – FRAM Forum – is an important channel for that outreach. Here, in plain language, we will present highlights from the past year at the Fram Centre.

You can order a free copy here:  post@framsenteret.no

You are free to download e copy here:  

FRAM FORUM 2013: fram-annual2013-web.pdf

FRAM FORUM 2012: FRAM+FORUM+2012.pdf

 

Web-TV: Fram Shorts - Instant Arctic Knowhow!

Explore Polar research. High North research brought to your screen. See uniqe footage and interwievs with the resarchers on framshorts.com

ScienceNordic brings articles in English from the Fram Centre 

 

Download our brochure in pdf-formate: 

fram_A4_engelsk_web.pdf

 

Contact information:

FRAM - High North Research Centre for Climate and the Environment 

Post:

Framsenteret 

NO - 9296 Tromsø

Telephone: +47 77 75 02 00

Email: post@framsenteret.no

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