- A5: Arctic five (US, Canada, Denmark, Russia, Norway)
- AAA: Antarctic Astronomy and Astrophysics
- AAC: Arctic Athabaskan Council
- AACA: Adaptation Actions for a Changing Arctic
- AANDC: Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada
- AARI: Arctic Antarctic Research Institute
- ABA: Arctic Biodiversity Assessment
- ABDS: Arctic Biodiversity Data Service
- AC: Arctic Council
- ACAP: Arctic Contaminants Action Program (Arctic Council Working Group)
- ACBio: Arctic Coastal Biodiversity
- ACCO-NET: Arctic Circumpolar Coastal Observatory Network
- ACD: Arctic Coastal Dynamics
- ACE: Arctic Climate Evolution
- ACGF: Arctic Coast Guard Forum
- ACIA: Arctic Climate Impact Assessment
- ACOPS: Advisory Committee on Protection of the Seas
- ACS: Arctic Council Secretariat
- ADD: International Arctic Environmental Data Directory
- ADMAP: Antarctic Digital Magnetic Anomaly Project
- AEC: Arctic Economic Council
- AEPS: Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy
- AFoPS: Asian Forum for Polar Science
- AG: Action Group
- AGCS: Antarctica in the Global Climate System
- AHDR: Arctic Human Development Report
- AHDR: II Arctic Human Development Report II
- AHHEG: Arctic Human Health Expert Group
- AIA: Aleut International Association
- AINA: Arctic Institute of North America
- AMAP Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program (Arctic Council Working Group)
- AMATII: Arctic Maritime and Aviation Transportation Infrastructure Initiative
- AMBI: Arctic Migratory Birds Initiative
- AMD: Antarctic Master Directory
- AMSA: Arctic Marine Shipping Assessment
- AMSP: Arctic Marine Strategic Plan
- AMTP: Arctic Maritime Tourism Project
- ANTPAS: Antarctic and sub-Antarctic Permafrost, Periglacial and Soil Environments
- ANWR: Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
- AO: Arctic Oscillation
- AOA: Arctic Ocean Acidification
- AOMIP: Arctic Ocean Model Intercomparison Project
- AON: Arctic Observing Network
- AOOGG: Arctic Offshore Oil and Gas Guidelines
- AORF: Arctic Offshore Regulators´ Forum
- AOR: Arctic Ocean Review
- AOSB: Arctic Ocean Science Board
- APECS: Association of Polar Early Career Scientists
- APEX: Arctic Palaeoclimate and its Extremes
- APPLICATE: Advanced prediction in polar regions and beyond
- ARCMIP: Arctic Regional Climate Model Intercomparison Project
- Arctic-HYDRA: Arctic Hydrological Cycle Monitoring, Modelling and Assessment Program
- ARCUS: Arctic Research Consortium of the United States
- AREA: Arctic Renewable Energy Atlas
- ARENA: Arctic Remote Energy Networks Academy
- ARICE: Arctic Research Icebreaker Consortium
- ARR / ARA: Arctic Resilience Report / Arctic Resilience Assessment
- ASDS: Arctic Shipping Data Service
- ASSW: Arctic Science Summit Week
- ASTD: Arctic Ship Traffic Data
- ASTI: Arctic Species Trend Index
- ATCM: Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings
- ATS: Antarctic Treaty System
- AWI: Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research
- AWPPA: Arctic Waters Pollution Prevention Act
- AWRH: Association of World Reindeer Herders
- BAT: Best Available Techniques
- BCM: Black Carbon and Methane
- BEAC: Barents Euro Arctic Council
- BEAR: Barents Euro Arctic Region
- BEP: Best Environmental Practice
- BipAG: Joint Bipolar Action Group
- BIS: Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (UK)
- BP: British Petroleum
- BSSN: Bering Sea Sub-network
- C&O group: Communications and Outreach group
- CAA: Chinese Arctic and Antarctic Administration
- CAA: Chinese Arctic and Antarctic Administration
- CAFF: Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (Arctic Council Working Group)
- CALM: Circumpolar Active Layer Monitoring
- CAML: Census of Antarctic Marine Life
- CAPP: Carbon Pools in Permafrost Region
- CAPS: Circumpolar Active-Layer Permafrost System
- CARC: Canadian Arctic Resources Committee
- CARCMIP: Coupled Arctic Regional Climate Model Intercomparison Project
- CARMA: Circum-Arctic Rangifer Monitoring and Assessment Program
- CAT-B: Circum-Arctic Terrestrial Biodiversity Initiative
- CAVM: Circum-Arctic Vegetation Map
- CBird: The Circumpolar Seabird Expert Group
- CBD: Convention on Biological Diversity
- CBM: Community-Based Monitoring
- CBMP: Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program
- CBSS: Council of the Baltic Sea States
- CCAMLR: Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources
- CCGS: Canadian Coast Guard Ship
- CCU: Circumpolar Conservation Union
- CEA: Centre d‘Etudes Arctiques
- CEARC: Centre Européen Arctique
- CEMG: Coastal Expert Monitoring Group
- CEON: Circum-Arctic Environmental Observatories Network
- CFG: Circumpolar Flora Group
- CFP: Common Fisheries Policy
- CICERO: Center for International and Environmental Research
- CIDA: Canadian International Development Agency
- CITES: Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species
- CLCS: Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf
- CLEO: Circumpolar Local Environmental Observer Network
- CliC: Climate in the Cryosphere
- CLIVAR: Climate Variability and Predictability
- CNRS: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (France)
- COMAAR: Co-ordination of Observation and Monitoring of the Arctic for Assessment and Research
- COMNAP: Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs
- COP15: 15th Conference of Parties (to the Kyoto Protocol)
- CORE: Centre for Offshore Research & Engineering
- CP: Le Cercle Polaire
- CPAN: Circumpolar Protected Areas Network
- CPAR: Conference of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region
- CRDF: U.S. Civilian Research and Development Foundation
- CReSIS: Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets
- CRREL: U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center's Cold Regions Research and Engineering Lab
- DAMOCLES: Developing Arctic Modeling and Observing Capabilities for Longterm Environmental Studies
- DC: Davis Corridor
- DCE: Designated/contributing Expert
- DECC: Department of Energy and Climate Change (UK)
- DEFRA: Department for Food and Rural Affairs (UK)
- DFAIT: Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (Canada)
- DND: Department of National Defence (Canada)
- DWT: Dead Weight Tonnes
- EA: Ecosystem Approach
- EALLU: Arctic Indigenous Youth, Climate Change and Food Culture
- EBA: Evolution of Biodiversity in Antarctica
- EBM: Ecosystem Based Management
- EBSAs: Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas
- EC: European Commission
- EC: European Community
- ECONOR: Economy of the North
- ECS: Early Career Scientist
- EEZ: Exclusive Economic Zone
- EFTA: European Free Trade Agreement
- EG: Expert Group
- EGPPE: Expert Group on Permafrost and Periglacial Environments
- EIA: Environmental Impact Assessment
- EMSO: Europian Multi-disciplinary Seafloor Observation
- ENGO: Environmental Non Governmental Organizations
- EOC: Education, Outreach and Communication
- EoI: Expression of Interest
- EP: European Parliament
- EPB: European Polar Board
- EPICA: European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica
- EPPR: Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response
- ERMA: The Environmental Response Management Application
- ERP: Event-Related Potentials
- ESF: European Science Foundation
- ESFRI: European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures
- EU: European Union
- EUFAR: European Fleet for Airborne Research
- EU-ICEMASS: European Response of Arctic Ice Masses to Climate Change
- EUSCO: European Science Coordination Office
- EU-SPICE: Space-borne Measurements of Arctic Glaciers and Implications for Sea Level
- FARO: Forum of Arctic Research Operators
- FC: Fram Corridor
- FCO: UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office
- FCZ: Fisheries Conservation Zone
- FEMG: Freshwater Expert Monitoring Group
- FP7: European Commission Seventh Framework Programme
- FP8: European Commission Eight Framework Programme
- FPSO: Floating Production Storage and Offloading
- GCI: Gwich´in Council International
- GCM: General Circulation Model
- GDP: Gross Domestic Product
- GEF: Global Environmental Facilities
- GEGA: Groupe d‘Etude sur la Gouvernance Arctique (France)
- GIANT: Geodetic Infrastructure of Antarctica
- GIS: Geographic Information System
- GPS: Global Positioning System
- HAIS: Heads of Arctic and Antarctic IPY 2007-2008 Secretariats
- HARC: Human Dimension of the Arctic System
- HDI: Human Development Index
- HFO: Heavy Fuel Oil
- HHAG: Human Health Assessment Group
- HoD: Head of Delegation
- HSEMS: Health Safety and Environmental Management Systems
- iAOOS: Integrated Arctic Ocean Observing System
- IARC: International Arctic Research Center
- IARPC: Interagency Arctic Research and Policy Committee
- IASC: International Arctic Science Committee
- IASOA: International Arctic Systems for Observing the Atmosphere
- IASSA: International Arctic Social Science Association
- IBP: International Biological Program
- IBSCO: International Bathymetric Chart of the Southern Ocean
- ICARP: International Conference on Arctic Research Planning
- ICC: Inuit Circumpolar Council
- ICESTAR: Interhemispheric Conjugacy in Solar-Terrestrial and Aeronomy Research
- ICG: International Contract Group
- ICPM: International Commission on Polar Meteorology
- ICSU: International Council for Science
- IEA: International Energy Agency
- IFRC: International Federation of Red Cross & Red Crescent Societies
- IGO: Intergovernmental Organization
- IGOS: Intergrated Global Observing Strategy
- IGPB: International Geosphere Biosphere Program
- IHDP: International Human Dimensions Program on Global Environmental Change
- IHWMS: Integrated Hazardous Waste Management Strategy
- ILO: International Labour Organisation
- IMAU: Institute for Marine Atmospheric Research Utrecht
- IMO: International Maritime Organisation
- IMS: Internet Map Serving
- INSROP: International Northern Sea Route Programme
- INTAS: International Association for the Promotion of Co-operation with Scientists from the New Independent States of the Former Soviet Union
- IODP: International Ocean Drilling Program
- IPA: International Permafrost Association
- IPAB: International Program of Antarctic Buoys
- IPCC: Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change
- IPEV: L'Institut polaire française Paul-Emile Victor
- IPICS: International Partnerships in Ice Core Science
- IPIECA: International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association
- IPO: International Program Office
- IPS: Indigenous Peoples Secretariat
- IPY: International Polar Year
- IPY JC: International Polar Year Joint Committee
- IPYDIS: International Polar Year Data and Information Service
- IR: International Relations
- ISA: International Seabed Authority
- ISAC: International Study of Arctic Change
- ISIRA: International Science Initiative in the Russian Arctic
- ISMASS: Ice Sheet Mass Balance and Sea Level
- ITC: Inuit Tapirisat of Canada
- ITEX: International Tundra Experiment
- ITK: Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
- IUCH: International Union for Circumpolar Health
- IUCN: International Union for the Conservation of Nature
- IUCP: International University Course on Permafrost
- IWGIA: International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs
- JAMSTEC: Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology
- JANSROP: Japan Northern Sea Route Programme
- JARE: Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition
- JAXA: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
- JCADM: Joint SCAR/COMNAP Committee on Antarctic Data Mangement
- JCAR: Japan Consortium for Arctic Environmental Research
- JOGMEC: Japan Oil, Gas, and Metals National Corporation
- KNE: Key National Expert
- LME: Large Marine Ecosystem
- LNG: Liquefied Natural Gas
- LOICS: Land-Ocean Interactions in the Coastal Zone
- LOIRA: Land-Ocean Interactions in the Russian Arctic
- LTO: Long-term Observing
- MA: Millenium Ecosystem Assessment
- MAGICS: Mass Balance of Arctic Glaciers and Ice Sheets in Relation to the Climate and Sea-level Changes
- MARPOL: Convention on the Prevention of Pollution by Ships
- MAST: Map of Sediment Thickness
- MEMA: Meaningful Engagement of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities in Marine Activities
- MEP: Member of European Parliament
- MFA: Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- MMPA: Marine Mammals Protection Act (USA)
- MOSPA: Agreement on Cooperation on Marine Oil Pollution Preparedness and Response in the Arctic
- MoU: Memorandum of Understanding
- MP: Member of Parliament
- MPA: Maritime and Port Authority
- MT: Metric Tonnes
- NAFO: Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization
- NAFTA: North American Free Trade Agreement
- NAMMCO: North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission
- NARSEC: Network on Arctic Rapid Social-Ecological Change
- NASA: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- NASCO: North American Science Coordination Office
- NATO: North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
- NCM: Nordic Council of Ministers
- ND: Northern Dimension (EU)
- NDFP: Northern Dimension of Canadian Foreign Policy
- NEAFC: North East Atlantic Fisheries Convention
- NEFCO: Nordic Environment Finance Corporation
- NEP: Northeast Passage
- NERC: Natural Environment Research Council (UK)
- NF: Northern Forum
- NGO: Non-Governmental Organization
- NICOP: Ninth International Conference on Permafrost
- NILU: Norwegian Institute for Air Research
- NIPR: National Institute of Polar Research (Japan)
- NMC: Northern Maritime Corridor
- NOAA: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- NORA: Nordic Atlantic Cooperation
- NORAD: North American Air Defence Command
- NORDEFCO: Nordic Defense Cooperation
- NPC: Northern Pacific Corridor
- NRF: Northern Research Forum
- NSIDC: National Snow and Ice Data Center
- NSR: Northern Sea Route
- NWP: Northwest Passage
- NWT: Northwest Territories
- O&G: Oil and Gas
- OECD: Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development
- OGA: Oil and Gas Assessment
- OME: Offshore and Marine Engineering
- OPRC: International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response
- OPRF: Ocean Policy Research Foundation (Japan)
- OSPAR: Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment
- PA: Polar Ambassador
- PAG: Pacific Arctic Group
- PAME: Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment (Arctic Council Working Group)
- PAN: Polar Archeology Network
- PAP: People‘s Action Party (Singapore)
- PCB: Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment
- PI: Principle Investigator
- PM: Prime Minister
- PMO: Prime Minister‘s Office
- POPs: Persistent Organic Pollutants
- PP: Permanent Participants
- PSI: Project Support Instrument
- PTS: Persistent Toxic Substances
- PYRN: Permafrost Young Researchers Network
- RAIPON: Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North
- RAISE: Russian-American Initiative on Shelf-Land Environments
- RAS: Russian Academy of Sciences
- RB: Regional Board
- RCN: Research Council of Norway
- RFE: Russian Far East
- RFMO: Regional Fisheries Management Organization
- RPA: Regional Programme of Action
- RRFP: Regional Reception Facilities Plan
- SALE: Sub Glacial Antarctic Lake Exploration
- SAM: Survey of Arctic Meetings
- SAMBR: State of the Arctic Marine Biodiversity Report
- SAO: Senior Arctic Official
- SAOC: SAO Chair (Chair of the Senior Arctic Officials)
- SAON: Sustaining Arctic Observation Network
- SAON-IG: Sustaining Arctic Observing Networks - Initiating Group
- SAR: Search and Rescue
- SC: Steering Committee
- SCANNET: Scandinavian and Northern Europian Network of Terrestrial Field Bases
- SCAR: Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research
- SCO: Science Coordination Office
- SCOR: Scientific Committee for Oceanic Research
- SCPAR: Standing Committee of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region
- SCTF: Task Force on Enhancing Scientific Cooperation in the Arctic
- SDF: Japan Maritime Self Defense Force
- SDI: Spatial Data Infrastructure
- SDWG: Sustainable Development Working Group (Arctic Council)
- SEARCH: Study of Environmental Arctic Change
- SECEG: Social, Economic and Cultural Expert Group
- SFT: Norwegian Pollution Control Authority
- SIKU: Sea Ice Knowledge and Use in the North
- SIPRI: Stockholm International Peace Research Institute
- SLCF: Short-lived climate forcers
- SLCF EG: Short Lived Climate Pollutants Expert Group
- SMC: Singapore‘s Maritime Cluster
- SNACS: Study of the North Alaska Coastal System
- SNP: Scottish National Party
- SOE: State Owned Enterprises
- SOF: Ship and Ocean Foundation
- SOLAS: Safety of Life at Sea (IMO)
- SOOS: Southern Ocean Observing System
- SPRS: Swedish Polar Research Secretariat
- SRP: Scientific Research Program
- SSF: Svalbard Science Forum
- SSG: Scientific Steering Group
- STCW: Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers
- SWIPA: Snow, Water, Ice and Permafrost in the Arctic
- TAWEPI: THORPEX Arctic Weather and Environmental Prediction Initiative
- TBD / TBC: To be determined / To be considered
- TFAMC: Task Force on Arctic Marine Cooperation
- TFBCM: Task Force on Black Carbon and Methane
- TFCBF: Task Force to Facilitate the Circumpolar Business Forum
- TFII: Task Force for Institutional Issues
- TFOPP: Task Force on Arctic Marine Oil Pollution Prevention
- TFTIA: Task Force on Telecommunications Infrastructure in the Arctic
- THORPEX: The Observing System Research and Predictability Experiment
- TLK: Traditional and local knowledge
- TNC: Transnational Corporations
- ToR: Terms of Reference
- TPP: Trans Polar Passage
- TSP: Thermal State of Permafrost
- TSR: Transpolar Sea Route
- TTI: Tundra Taiga Interface
- U.S.: NSF United States National Science Foundation
- U.S. PRB: United States Polar Research Board
- UAF: University of Alaska Fairbanks
- UArctic: University of the Arctic
- UAS: Unmanned Aircraft System
- UDHR: Universal Declaration on Human Rights
- UIT: University of Tromsø
- UN: United Nations
- UNCCD: United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification
- UNCED: United Nations Conference on Environment and Development
- UNCLOS: United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
- UNCTAD: United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
- UNDP: United Nations Development Programme
- UNDRIP: United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
- UNECE: United Nations European Economic Commission for Europe
- UNEP: United Nations Environment Program
- UNEP-WCMC: United Nations Environment Program World Conservation Monitoring Centre
- UNFCCC: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
- UNIS: University of Svalbard
- USGS: United States Geological Survey
- USNC: for IPY United States National Committee for the International Polar Year 2007-2008
- WASH: Improving Health in Arctic Communities through Safe and Affordable Access to Household Running Water and Sewer: Water, Sanitation and Health
- WCED: World Commission on Environment and Development
- WCRP: World Climate Research Program
- WDGF: Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation
- WG: Working Group
- WMD: Weapons of Mass Destruction
- WMO: World Meteorological Organization
- WWF: World Wide Fund for Nature
