Understanding the EU’s impact on the Arctic starts with an efficient and effective use of scientific and fact-based information. Combining this scientific understanding with Arctic stakeholders’ in-depth knowledge and experience is crucial in properly addressing the challenges the Arctic will face. Only by effectively applying this information and engaging stakeholders from all backgrounds and levels (local, regional and global) can one fully comprehend the complexity of the changes happening in the Arctic and create a roadmap for the sustainable development of the region.
In the opening policy session of the seminar, four keynote speakers presented their unique perspectives of the Arctic, after which, a number of experts lead engaging discussions on the important ongoing developments in the region. The session was chaired by Hannu Halinen (Arctic Ambassador of Finland), and the keynotes were:
Richard Tibbels (Head of the Eastern Partnership, Regional Cooperation and OSCE Division at the European External Action Service);
Erkki Tuomioja (Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland);
Alan Bowman (Deputy Head of Mission at the Mission of Canada to the European Union); and
Lars Anders Baer (Senior member of the Working Group of Indigenous Peoples on the Barents Euro-Arctic Council)
In the afternoon, members of the EUAIC consortium presented the results of the project’s insightful assessments, and examined information and communication gaps about the Arctic. UArctic Thematic Networks and Thule Institute of the University of Oulu represented by Research coordinator Kirsi Latola is one of the project partners and Lead author in chapter “Land-use Pressures in the European Arctic”, which was presented by Latola at the seminar. The consortium also presented a compendium that outlines current Arctic initiatives and projects going on in European countries. All documents can be found and freely downloaded at: http://www.arcticinfo.eu/en/new
More information: www.arcticinfo.eu