Warming nearly four times faster than the global average, the Arctic stands as both a warning and a roadmap for addressing the interconnected crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and geopolitical tensions. Rather than just to reflect on these challenges, we try to chart a way forward for collaboration, innovation, and equitable governance in the Arctic, project director Ole Øvretveit said in his introduction at the Arctic Frontiers event co-hosted by Academia Europaea Bergen.
The event was hosted under the UArctic-funded project, Rethinking Arctic Collaboration, led by a consortium of institutions, including Academia Europaea Bergen, the University of Bergen, the Alfred Wegener Institute, Nord University, and Dartmouth College, among others. The project’s mission is clear: to understand the current state of Arctic research and science diplomacy while facilitating new frameworks for sustainable, ethical, and impactful collaborations.
Historically, the Arctic has benefited from international cooperation frameworks, such as the Arctic Council, fostering collaboration in research and governance. However, recent geopolitical events, including Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and growing global geopolitical tensions, have disrupted key activities in Arctic scientific diplomacy and collaboration. As we approach the Fifth International Polar Year (IPY5) in 2032–33, we urgently need to rethink and frame the future of polar science cooperation and diplomacy to address global challenges with the most effective, impactful, and equitable ethical research collaborations for our planet.
Find the recording here, and explore the discussion on issues like:
What might future challenges, stakes, and key strategic pathways toward future Arctic science diplomacy be?
How do we safeguard the integrity of knowledge production informing Arctic policy and diplomacy?
How do we embed equitable and ethical engagement in Arctic science diplomacy to increase its effectiveness in informing and shaping global policy?
Panelists are Volker Rachold, Head of the German Arctic Office, Miguel Roncero, International Relations Officer at the European Commission, Melody Brown Burkins, Director Institute of Arctic Studies at Dartmouth, Ole Øvretveit, Project Manager at Academia Europaea Bergen, Anders Oskal, Secretary General of the Association of World Reindeer Herders and Jenny Baseman, consultant.