In this session, we will take a comprehensive approach to the resource dynamics of the urbanized Arctic in the following ways:

1. (Re)assessing and analyzing the likely development (scope, migration, housing, other changes of urban settlements in the Arctic) as a result of mass-scale utilization (e.g. mines, oil drilling) and the opening of the Arctic to natural resources exploitation and global transport, and role of TNCs and SOEs there;
2. Assessing the consequences of such development on
   1. The national, regional and local economies, and national policies,
   2. Indigenous peoples and cultures,
   3. Sustainable development / resilience,
3. Comparing the urbanized Arctic to rural Arctic with small communities.

Speakers:

• Melissa Harris, Project Manager, International Institute for Sustainable Development: Barriers and Best Practices for Sustainable Housing in the Canadian Arctic
• Heather Nicol, Professor, Trent University: Resiliency in Northern Canada’s Communities Based upon Evaluating the Canadian Geographical Literature on Rural Reinvigoration and Governance Capacity
• Rachael Lorna Johnstone, Professor of Law, University of Akureyri: Free, Prior and Informed Consent in Large-Scale Development Projects in the Arctic
• “Greenland and the Arctic Council: Subnational regions in a time of Arctic Westphalianisation”
  • Inuuteq Holm Olsen, Minister Plenipotentiary, Greenland Representation, Danish Embassy in Washington, DC
  • Jessica M. Shadian, Senior Fellow, Bill Graham Centre for Contemporary International History, University of Toronto; Nansen Professor, University of Akureyri
• Matthias Finger, Professor, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale Lausanne (EPFL): Governments Helping TNCs to Grab Arctic Resources

Moderator

Lassi Heininen, Professor, University of Lapland