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May 14th, 2021: The sun sets for the last time during the austral autumn of 2021 at the Princess Elisabeth Antarctica, the world's first zero-emission polar research station. The polar night has now begun. The sun will not rise again until July 29th.Footage was taken from webcams at the Princess Elisabeth Antarctica.Music: A New Sleep by Arden Forest

In this video, which features spectacular drone footage of the Princess Elisabeth Antarctica, we learn how the station has been undergoing upgrades over the last several seasons. With a new heated garage featuring carpentry and metal workshops, and an annex with additional sleeping quarters, extra storage space, an exercise room, and other amenities, the station is now more than ever ready to welcome researchers from Belgium and around the world!

The Princess Elisabeth Antarctica has been undergoing renovations so it can welcome more researchers while still being a "zero emission" research station and one of the most comfortable places to stay in Antarctica!

Arctic Futures Symposium 2020 Monday 30 November (Day 1, Part 4) AFS Panel Discussion n°4: Arctic Policies - North America and EU This topic, discussed over several panel sessions, focuses on new elements in the Arctic policies of Arctic states, the EU and Arctic Indigenous Peoples’ organisations. It also examines the best practices in drafting the Arctic policy statements and the influence of these documents on decision-making. Moderator: - Adam Stępień (Researcher, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland) Speakers: - Meredith Rubin (Senior Arctic Official, U.S. Department of State) - David Sproule (Senior Arctic Official, Canada; Director-General, Polar, Eurasian and European Affairs, Global Affairs Canada) - Dalee Sambo Dorough (Chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Council) - Michael Mann (EU Special Envoy for Arctic Matters)

Arctic Futures Symposium 2020 Monday 30 November (Day 1, Part 1) Welcome address: - Piet Steel (Vice-President, Belgian Polar Secretariat; Director, IPF Board; President Corporate, EU-Asia Centre) Opening keynote: - Virginijus Sinkevičius (European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries) AFS Panel Discussion n°1: Arctic Challenges This session features substantive discussions with a number of high-level speakers focusing on topics including international cooperation, ocean governance and security in the Arctic. Moderator: - Mike Sfraga (Director, Wilson Center Polar Institute) Speakers: - Virginijus Sinkevičius (European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries) - Stéphane Dion (Prime Minister's Special Envoy to the EU and Europe, and -Canada's Ambassador to Germany) - Ine Marie Eriksen Søreide (Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway) - James DeHart (U.S Coordinator for the Arctic Region)

Arctic Futures Symposium 2020 Monday 30 November (Day 1, Part 3) AFS Panel Discussion n°3: Arctic Policies - Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Denmark This topic, discussed over several panel sessions, focuses on new elements in the Arctic policies of Arctic states, the EU and Arctic Indigenous Peoples’ organisations. It also examines the best practices in drafting the Arctic policy statements and the influence of these documents on decision-making. Moderator: - Adam Stępień (Researcher, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland) Speakers: - Friðrik Jónsson (Director-General GRÓ, Senior Arctic Official, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Iceland) - Margretha Jacobsen (Representative of the Faroe Islands in the Arctic Council) - Mira Kleist (Special Advisor, Greenland Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Energy) - Thomas Winkler (Arctic Ambassador of the Kingdom of Denmark, Head of the Department of Arctic and North America of the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Arctic Futures Symposium 2020 Monday 30 November (Day 1, Part 2) AFS Panel Discussion n°2: Arctic Policies - European Arctic and Russia This topic, discussed over several panel sessions, focuses on new elements in the Arctic policies of Arctic states, the EU and Arctic Indigenous Peoples’ organisations. It also examines the best practices in drafting the Arctic policy statements and the influence of these documents on decision-making. Moderator: - Adam Stępień (Researcher, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland) Speakers: - Hilde Svartdal Lunde (Senior Arctic Official, Ambassador and Special Advisor for the Arctic and Antarctic, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norway) - Petteri Vuorimäki (Senior Arctic Official; Ambassador, Arctic and Antarctic Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland) - Nikolay Korchunov (Ambassador-at-Large for Arctic Affairs, Senior Arctic Official of the Russian Federation) - Tonje Margrete Winsnes Johansen (Advisor, Saami Council Arctic and Environment Unit)

Arctic Futures Symposium 2020 Tuesday 2 December (Day 3, Part 3) AFS Panel Discussion n°10: The EU’s Engagement in the Arctic and Implementing the EU Green Deal (Part 2) This discussion will focus on whether the EU’s further involvement in Arctic affairs is inevitable, in which areas the EU should engage more, and how the goals of the EU Green Deal will be implemented in the Arctic. Moderator: - Marie-Anne Coninsx (Former EU Ambassador at Large for the Arctic, European Union) Speakers: - Einar Gunnarsson (Ambassador for Arctic Affairs, Iceland; Chair of the Senior Arctic Officials) - Veronika Veits (Director for International Ocean Governance and Sustainable Fisheries, in the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE) European Commission) - Tomas Norvoll (President, Nordland County Council and Chair of the Board, North Norway European Office) - Elin Mortensen (Head of Mission of the Faroes to the EU) - Christian Keldsen (Director, Greenland Business Association)

Arctic Futures Symposium 2020 Tuesday 2 December (Day 3, Part 2) AFS Panel Discussion n°9: The EU’s Engagement in the Arctic and Implementing the EU Green Deal (Part 1) This discussion will focus on whether the EU’s further involvement in Arctic affairs is inevitable, in which areas the EU should engage more, and how the goals of the EU Green Deal will be implemented in the Arctic. Moderator: - Marie-Anne Coninsx (Former EU Ambassador at Large for the Arctic, European Union) Speakers: - Anne Bergenfelt (Senior Advisor in the Cabinet of High Representative and Vice President of the European Commission Joseph Borrell Fontelles) - Urmas Paet (Member of the European Parliament (Renew Europe Group)) - Elle Merete Omma (Head of EU Unit, Saami Council) - Anu Fredrikson (Executive Director, Arctic Frontiers)