Fifty-one students representing 32 universities participated. Students simulated the work of three Arctic Council working groups: Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna; Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response; and Sustainable Development. Students addressed the issue balancing oil and gas development with environmental protection. Assuming the roles of Arctic Council (AC) delegates and other stakeholders in the Arctic, their deliberations culminated in a declaration stating positions on which the member states established consensus.
The program rotates around the circumpolar North, in tandem with the current chair of the AC, with the potential for smaller, regional programs in the interim years. UAF hosted the inaugural program when the United States was the chair, and the University of Lapland hosted the 2018 program when Finland assumed the role.
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