The European Marine Board have launched a Science Commentary, Getting ready for an Ice-free Arctic (pdf), at the Arctic Science Summit Week, 13-19 April 2013 in Kraków, Poland. The commentary calls for urgent multi-national and multi-sectoral investment to increase Europe’s capacity to observe and study the Arctic Ocean ecosystem before the region is transformed by rapid environmental change and commercial exploitation. The call for action represents a common vision approved by the 35 Marine Board member organizations and is strongly supported by the European Polar Board