Arctic Futures 2013 : Q&A with Adam Stępień

(Photo: Arctic Center) Adam Stepien during the Arctic Futures Symposium (Photo: Arctic Center) Adam Stepien during the Arctic Futures Symposium

Adam Stępień, a researcher at the Arctic Centre at the University of Lapland in Rovaniemi, Finland, discusses the EU Arctic Information Centre and the work being done during the preparatory action for the initiative. 

 

Arctic Futures 2013 : Q&A with Adam Stępień from International Polar Foundation on Vimeo.

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Project Visibility

Paula Kankaanpää, director at Arctic Centre, at the 2013 Arctic Futures Symposium (Photo: International Polar Foundation)Paula Kankaanpää, director at Arctic Centre, at the 2013 Arctic Futures Symposium (Photo: International Polar Foundation)Project representatives have been visible at a number of conferences recently, The 2013 Arctic Energy Summit that took place in Akureyri, northern Iceland, 8-10 October, The 6th Symposium on Polar Law at the University of Akureyri, northern Iceland, 11-12 October, Arctic Circle in Reykjavik, Iceland, 11-14 October, 2013 Arctic Futures Symposium in Brussels, Belgium, 16-17 October, the 11th General Assembly of the Northern Forum in Moscow, Russia, 16-18 October and the First International Arctic Media Forum in Arkhangelsk, Russia, 20-23 October.

Arctic Portal staff during the 2013 Arctic Energy Summit (Photo: Magdalena Tomasik)Arctic Portal staff during the 2013 Arctic Energy Summit (Photo: Magdalena Tomasik)The 2013 Arctic Energy Summit was a multi-disciplinary event with over two hundred industry officials, scientists, academics, policy makers, energy professionals and community leaders sharing leading approaches on Arctic energy issues. It resulted in practical recommendations for Arctic Council´s Sustainable Development Working Group for whom the project was endorsed. Two representatives from the project chaired sessions, Adam Stepien, researcher at the University of Lapland, Creating Solutions in a Resource Rich Environment, and Björn Dahlbäck, director at the Swedish Polar Research Institute, Development of Conclusions: Resilience. Halldór Jóhannsson, director at Arctic Portal, emceed the banquet dinner and presented Sustaining Arctic Observing Network during the Non Governmental Sector lunch session.

From the 5th Symposium on Polar Law at the University of Lapland in Rovaniemi, Finland (Photo: Joonas Vola)From the 5th Symposium on Polar Law at the University of Lapland in Rovaniemi, Finland (Photo: Joonas Vola)The Symposium on Polar Law deals with the emerging legal issues regarding the Polar areas. This year´s agenda included sessions on Arctic politics and law and concentrated on new opportunities and the role of the Arctic Council in governance of the Arctic Region. Representatives from the project at the Symposium were Timo Koivurova, professor at the University of Lapland and Adam Stepien, researcher at the University of Lapland. Professor Koivurova presented The Making of the Arctic HumanDevelopment Report II: the Relevance of Law in the Arctic and Adam Stepien at a joint session, The EU and Arctic Mining Developments: Interests and Influence.

Arctic Circle was established to facilitate dialogue and build relationships to address rapid changes in the Arctic. Participants in the Arctic Circle included a range of global decision-makers from all sectors, including political and business leaders, indigenous representatives, nongovernmental and environmental representatives, policy and thought leaders, scientists, experts, activists, students and media. The conference aimed to strengthen the decision making process by bringing together as many international partners as possible to interact under one large "open tent". Timo Koivurova, professor at the University of Lapland chaired a Polar Law breakout session.

Adam Stepien, assessment expert at Arctic Centre, at the 2013 Arctic Futures Symposium (Photo: International Polar Foundation) Adam Stepien, assessment expert at Arctic Centre, at the 2013 Arctic Futures Symposium (Photo: International Polar Foundation) Established in 2010 to raise public awareness of important developments in the Arctic region, the annual Arctic Futures Symposium has become an essential venue for promoting ongoing dialogue between Arctic stakeholders, and the empowerment of inhabitants of the Circumpolar North. This year's symposium focused on responsible Arctic resource development, safe Arctic shipping, sustainable circumpolar communities, and research to inform policymaking. Representatives from the project were represented in the symposium both days. Liisa Holmberg, rector at Sámi Education Institute gave a presentation on 16 October, The Challenges of Educating Northern Residents who live Traditional Lifestyes, and Paula Kankaanpää, director at Arctic Centre and Adam Stepien, researcher at the University of Lapland, on 17 October, The EU Arctic Information Centre: An Impact Assessment for the Artic. 

Halldór Jóhannsson, director at Arctic Portal, at the Northern Forum General Assembly (Source: Press Service of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) under the President of the Russian Federation.)Halldór Jóhannsson, director at Arctic Portal, at the Northern Forum General Assembly (Source: Press Service of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) under the President of the Russian Federation.)The mission of the Northern Forum is to improve the quality of life of Northern peoples by providing Northern regional leaders a means to share their knowledge and experience in addressing common challenges; and To support sustainable development and the implementation of cooperative socio-economic initiatives among Northern regions and through international fora. On the first day of the General Assembly the meeting of the Regional Coordinators Committee took place. The meeting was attended by representatives of the Russian Federation regions, the Republic of Korea, Finland, Japan, Sweden and Iceland. The second day the Assembly adopted resolution on approval of a new chairman and the board of governors, plans of work and a budget, new programs and projects, as well as the Moscow Declaration as a strategic document identifying the main priorities of the organization development. Halldór Jóhannsson, director at Arctic Portal,  presented the Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment of development of the Arctic project, during the Assembly. 

The First International Arctic Media brought together representatives of leading Russian and international media, experts in the field of Arctic research and development to discuss problems of the Arctic and connected topics. The conference will establish a more effective dialogue between experts and Russian mass-media, as well as between mass-media from different countries. The forum will also give impetus to the new information projects. During the conference successful media projects were presented and Halldór Jóhannsson, director at Arctic Portal, introduced the Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment of development of the Arctic.

 

 

 

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First Consultations of the EU Arctic Impact Assessment

(Photo: K. Jagodzinski)(Photo: K. Jagodzinski)On 3 October 2013, the Arctic Centre in Rovaniemi hosted over 100 Arctic stakeholders and experts, representing different interest groups and viewpoints. Participants from business, academia, state agencies or regulators from around the European Arctic gathered in order to take part in stakeholder consultations, which are part of the EU Arctic Impact Assessment (EUAIA) study.

The event opened with a statement from Jamie Reynolds from European Commission's Directorate-General for Environment, who underlined the importance of input from stakeholders, business and civil society for the EU policy-making. Timo Koivurova from Arctic Centre, Seija Tuulentie from Metla, and Ulla Aikio-Puoskari from Giellagas Institute gave presentations aimed at highlighting topical issues to be discussed during the consultations.

(Photo: J-E. Kukko)(Photo: J-E. Kukko)The speeches by experts constituted only an introduction to the main element of the meeting: the dialogue with and between stakeholders. Within thematic workshops, participants discussed mining, increasing land-use pressures, social and cultural changes and climate change in the European Arctic and the role of the European Union in influencing these multifaceted developments dramatically changing the region.

Stakeholders were asked to identify most important issues for the EU decision-making and the problems on which the experts are to focus in the further assessment work. The participants commented on the work of researchers and suggested the possible ways forward. Eventually, the workshop groups brainstormed ideas which will serve the experts to develop recommendations for the EU policy-making.

The discussions in the workshops turned out to be very lively and focused. It was clear that there is a need for Arctic stakeholders to be engaged and to have possibility to express their views on the developments occurring in the region and their various impacts. The first consultation meeting in Rovaniemi also proved that dialogue is the best way to allow those directly involved in Arctic developments to understand better the role of the European Union in the region.

The project team working on the assessment has received from stakeholders a great amount and diversity of input and there is now significant work ahead of researcher in order to process the new information, incorporate the views presented by stakeholders into the assessment and carefully develop recommendations basing on participants' ideas.

Stakeholder consultations in Rovaniemi focused primarily on terrestrial Arctic changes. Critical marine developments will be discussed during the next consultation meeting in Tromsø in January 2014. The EU Arctic Impact Assessment team is already looking forward to this next stage of engagement. Moreover, following the consultations in Rovaniemi, the online questionnaire and possibility to comment on EUAIA factsheets directly on the project website were made available for stakeholders interesting in providing input and influence the direction of the EUAIA study.

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European Arctic Initiatives Compendium published

The European Arctic Initiatives Compendium has now been published. The compendium, which is part of work package one of the project, compiles flagship inititatives undertaken in the Arctic regions by member states and actors operating within states belonging to the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA). It aims to assist in an Arctic Information Centre feasibility study; to provide a window into Arctic initiatives that may inform the European Arctic Impact Assessment (EUAIA) which forms part of the Preparatory Action; and to inform the European Commission on European Arctic Inititatives. The Compendium provides an overview of existing inventories and reports before proceeding to detail European infrastructural and institutional initiatives in the Arctic. The compendium documents major strategic processes initiated by European bodies in the Arctic. It also outlines initiatives related to monitoring and assessment as well as commercial development.

European Arctic Initiatives Compendium

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The first Stakeholder Consultation in Rovaniemi

Arctic Centre, Rovaniemi, Finland (Photo: GRID-Arendal)Arctic Centre, Rovaniemi, Finland (Photo: GRID-Arendal)

As a part of the assessment work of the EU Arctic Impact Assessment (EUAIA), some 60 stakeholders mainly from Lapland and other parts of Finland but also from the Northern Fennoscandia and from international organizations will gather at the Arctic Centre in Rovaniemi, this week, on the 3rd of October, with the aim at compiling different perspectives on Arctic developments and EU's role in the Arctic. A general discussion on Arctic change will be followed by focused workshops. The themes cover important trends and developments that are changing the Arctic today, with focus given this time to terrestrial issues: climate change, mining, land use pressures and socio-cultural changes.

In workshops the stakeholders will discuss critical factors for EU decision-making in the Arctic and brainstorm recommendations. The project has produced factsheet on various themes related to the Arctic, which will serve as background for dialogue with stakeholders.
This is the first of two stakeholder consultation meetings organized within the project'. Second meeting, focusing on maritime developments, will be held in Tromsø on 22 January. In addition, the input from stakeholders is collected via the project website.

During 2014, the results from the preparatory project 'Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment of development of the Arctic', including the EU Arctic Impact Assessment Report – will be handed over to the European Commission and published.

More information:
Director of the Arctic Centre, professor Paula Kankaanpää
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
+358 40 7777825

Researcher Adam Stepien, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
+359 40 4844298

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