The future of Arctic governance

On 17-18 January, 2012 the Monk School of Global Affairs in Toronto, Canada hosts the conference The Arctic Council: Its Place in the Future of Arctic Governance. The goal of the conference is to provide input into discussion about the role of the Arctic Council and its future priorities.

“While the Arctic Council faces major challenges in the new geography of the Arctic that is emerging with global change, its history as a cognitive forerunner in environmental governance also points to opportunities,” says Annika E. Nilsson, Senior Research Fellow at SEI.

“However, a leading role requires an organization that is better adapted to the current rapid rate of change and the fact that many processes interact. Arctic change cannot be understood without connecting across natural and social sciences and linking global change to what is happening at the local level”

The paper Knowing the Arctic: The Arctic Council as a cognitive forerunner is being presented by Annika E. Nilsson at the conference. Some of the delegates include: Duane Smith, President, Inuit Circumpolar Council (Canada); Steffen Weber, Secretary General of the EU Arctic Forum and Expert Advisor, European Parliament, European Commission; Andreas von Uexküll, Senior Arctic Official (Sweden); and Cindy Dickson, Executive Director, Arctic Athabaska Council.

The first day of the conference is public and will be live webcast.  The live stream» (registration required) of the event will start at 08:30 EST (-0500 UTC.)  Questions from viewers can be sent to [email protected] or via Twitter using @arcticsecurity and the hashtag #ArcticCouncil.