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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