The 33rd Council Meeting of the International Permafrost Association (IPA) was held online on 20 May 2026, bringing together representatives from IPA’s adhering bodies (link), Executive Committee (EC) members (link), and invited guests involved in organizing the ACOP2026 and ICOP2028.
Isabelle Gärtner-Roer, Co-President, first provided a brief update on activities carried out over the past six months, including monthly EC meetings, IPA newsletters, news Action Groups, Standing Committeess, International Polar Year (IPY-5), and other activities (ICARP IV, Antarctica InSync). Reports highlighted ongoing scientific initiatives, community engagement activities, and preparations for future international collaborations.
Gonçalo Vieira, Co-President, provided an update on the nomination process for the upcoming EC elections. Christopher Burn (Past President), Fujun Niu (Vice President), Edward Yarmak (EC Member), and Joseph Young (PYRN representative) will conclude their terms on the EC in June 2026. The Council subsequently elected new members to the IPA EC and welcomed their future contributions to the Association. The two nominees, John Thornley from the United States and Fujun Niu from China, were elected to serve on the IPA EC for the next term (2026-2030). In addition, the PYRN elected Saskia Eppinger, a PhD candidate at the Technical University of Munich, as its new representative to the IPA EC for the upcoming term (2026-2028). Furthermore, Gonçalo presented the timeline of the decisions regarding the redesign of the logo. The proposed logo was discussed by the Council, and members exchanged views on its design, symbolism, and implementation. The feedback will be considered in the next stage of the redesign process before a final decision is made.
Lin Chen, Secretariat and Executive Director, presented the financial report. The Council then reviewed the financial status and future budget planning and approved the amended 2026-2028 budget. The Council also discussed long-term financial sustainability, including recommendations regarding membership dues. Following a vote by the adhering bodies, the Council approved a small increase in annual dues of €50 per country in 2027, with a further increase of €50 per country in 2029. Moreover, the Council unanimously agreed to maintain the current policy of suspending relations with the Russian adhering body. The motion will be reviewed again at the next Council meeting.
During the meeting, the Council unanimously approved the selection of Vladimir E. Romanovsky, from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, as the recipient of the IPA Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to permafrost science, monitoring, and international collaboration over several decades.
The Council also received updates on preparations for the Asian Conference on Permafrost (ACOP 2026), which will be held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, from 28 June to 2 July 2026, and the 13th International Conference on Permafrost (ICOP 2028), which will take place in Florence, Italy. In addition, a preliminary proposal from China to host ICOP 2032 in Lanzhou was presented to the Council. The Council noted the proposal with interest and emphasized that the call for bids to host ICOP 2032 will remain open until 31 March 2027, allowing additional proposals to be submitted for consideration.
In addition, the Council exchanged views on the possibility of establishing a World Day for Permafrost as a means of promoting global awareness of permafrost and its importance to climate, ecosystems, infrastructure, and northern communities.
The IPA co-presidents would like to thank all participants for their valuable contributions and continued dedication to the international permafrost community.
Provided by Isabelle Gärtner-Roer, Gonçalo Vieira & Lin Chen
