The White House Arctic Science Ministerial was held 28 September 2016, Washington, DC, USA.
The joint statement mentions SAON as a critical contributor to 'Strengthening and Integrating Arctic Observations and Data Sharing': https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2016/09/28/joint-statement-ministers
The associated Fact Sheet informs that the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will open a U.S. SAON Office : "It will foster interagency and international collaboration in the development of Arctic observing and data systems, as well as the delivery of higher-level data and information to the scientific community and policymakers": https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2016/09/28/fact-sheet-united-states-hosts-first-ever-arctic-science-ministerial
In the same Fact Sheet two initatives are mentioned as having been established in support of SAON:
- “EyesNorth,” a U.S. National Science Foundation research-coordination network of community-based observing initiatives in the Arctic and beyond. It involves scientists and northern residents in Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, the Russian Federation, Sweden, the United States, and elsewhere.
- Norway is establishing SIOS (Svalbard Integrated Arctic Earth Observing System), a research infrastructure coordination organization of 26 partners from Europe and Asia.
