Community Observing Network for Adaptation and Security (CONAS)

The Community Observing Network for Adaptation and Security (CONAS) was established in 2014 as a direct transition from the Bering Sea Sub-Network, which operated from 2007-2014. This continuation of CONAS retains the community-based observing network (CBON) structure of BSSN, but has evolved toward a broader range of data to develop more tangible metrics and guidelines for ‘adaptation’ in partnership with our eight Alaskan and Russian communities, the Sustainable Development Working Group (SDWG) of the Arctic Council, and Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF). CONAS observations contribute toward assessing adaptive capacity for a secure, sustainable future in the Bering Sea. CONAS is co-developed with resident communities and its products are shared across disciplines and other observing networks. In March 2014, it was formally adopted as an official Arctic Council project of the (CAFF) Working Group.

The overall goal of CONAS is to utilize distributed human observers as sensors to systematically observe and document Arctic environmental and globalization changes, which are significant to understanding pan-arctic processes. By placing them in sociocultural and economic contexts, arctic communities and governments will be able to anticipate, plan, and respond to these changes through the development of Adaptive Capacity Indices (ACIs).