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Introduction: Reflecting on IPY Planning Themes During the planning phase of IPY 2007–2008, a number of major themes emerged from the communitybased consultation planning. In 2004, the ICSU Planning Group identified six major research themes outlined in the “Framework” document (Rapley et al., 2004; Chapter 1.3). These major IPY research themes were: (1) To determine the present environmental status of the polar regions by quantifying their spatial and temporal variability. (2) To quantify and understand past and present environmental and human change in the polar regions in order to improve predictions. (3) To advance our understanding of polar-global teleconnections on all scales and of the processes controlling these interactions. (4) To investigate the unknowns at the frontiers of science in the polar regions. (5) To use the unique vantage point of the polar regions to develop and …