HARC research considers human activity, both within and outside the Arctic, as a link and vital driver among the terrestrial, marine, and climatic subsystems. Accordingly, the initiative provides a significant opportunity to integrate ecosystem and climate studies with a broad range of the social sciences. The major thrusts of the HARC initiative are to broaden our understanding of the arctic system and to assist arctic peoples to understand and respond to the effects of large-scale changes. HARC is also concerned with the effects of change in the arctic system on people who live outside the Arctic.