Climate change is rapidly transforming the coldest regions of the planet. Yet a key factor remains poorly understood: snow
The newly launched EU‑funded research project SnowPI will strengthen knowledge of how snow influences polar regions and the global climate system. The project brings together 14 research partners from across Europe, including the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU).
Snow processes are currently insufficiently represented in climate models, particularly in remote polar regions. This contributes to uncertainty in climate projections, including estimates of future sea‑level rise.
SnowPI will combine field observations, satellite data and climate models to provide a stronger and more robust basis for future climate assessments.
At NMBU, researchers are leading a work package examining how changes in snow, ice and permafrost affect ecosystem management and societies in polar regions, including Svalbard, Greenland and Antarctica. The work aims to identify knowledge gaps and provide a stronger basis for decision‑making around changing ecosystems at national and international levels.
“Understanding how environmental change in the polar regions connects to societal resilience is essential for policymakers. SnowPI will strengthen our knowledge of governance options for ecosystem management and regional and international cooperation in rapidly changing polar environments,” says Elana Wilson Rowe, professor of global governance at NMBU.
SnowPI will run from 2026 to 2030.
Fact box: SnowPI
- Full name: Polar Snow, Permafrost and Inland Ice in a Changing World
- Funding: EU, Horizon Europe
- Participants: 14 research partners across Europe
- Project period: 1 March 2026 – 31 August 2030
- Purpose: Improve understanding of the role of snow in climate change in polar regions and globally
- Website: www.snowpi.eu