Panel

• Charles D. Michel, Admiral, Vice Commandant, United States Coast Guard, Washington, DC
• Alison LeClaire, Director General and Senior Arctic Official, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Canada, Ottawa
• Nils Wang, Admiral, Commandant, Royal Danish Defence College, Copenhagen
• Rasmus Gjedssø Bertelsen, Professor, University of Tromsø, Tromsø

Chair:

Mike Sfraga, Director, Polar Initiative, Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars, Washington, DC

Panel

• Charles D. Michel, Admiral, Vice Commandant, United States Coast Guard, Washington, DC
• Alison LeClaire, Director General and Senior Arctic Official, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Canada, Ottawa
• Nils Wang, Admiral, Commandant, Royal Danish Defence College, Copenhagen
• Rasmus Gjedssø Bertelsen, Professor, University of Tromsø, Tromsø

Chair:

Mike Sfraga, Director, Polar Initiative, Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars, Washington, DC

Friday, October 13, 17:55 - 19:25
Location: Þjóðmenningarhúsið, Hverfisgata 15

Speakers:

• Eva Varheim, Senior Advisor, Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries
• Hjalti Ómar Ágústsson, Polar Law Institute, University of Akureyri
• Jóhann Ásmundsson, Polar Law Institute, University of Akureyri
• Hilmar Ögmundsson, Senior Advisor, Ministry of Finance, Greenland

Chair:

Demian Schane, Fulbright Research Scholar at the University of Akureyri           

Speakers:

• Kristin Røymo, Mayor of Tromsø, Norway: Welcome and Introduction
• Päivi Laajala Mayor of Oulu, Finland: Innovation the Arctic
• Eirikur Björn Björgvinsson, Mayor of Akureyri, Iceland: Creating Sustainable Turisme in the Arctic
• Kristin Røymo, Mayor of Tromsø, Norway: Research and Competence in the Arctic
• Arild Olsen, Longyearbyen, Svalbard
• Niklas Nordström, Deputy Mayor of Luleå, Sweden: New Business Areas
• Asii Chemnitz Narup, Mayor, Nuuk Greenland
• Madeleine Redfern, Mayor Iqaluit, Canada*

Friday, October 13, 17:55 - 19:25

Location: Ríma B, Ground Level

Last May the West Nordic Council was granted observer status to the Arctic Council. The West Nordic Council is currently developing the strategic framework for its observership for 2018-2020. The main overall objective is to decrease the democratic deficit in the Arctic by making sure that the voice of the inhabitants of the region is heard and their rights protected.
The session gives an insight into the work, role and influence of observers to the Arctic Council, with contributions from four different observers. A Senior Arctic Official in the Arctic Council will furthermore shed a light on how those governing the Arctic Council view the role of observers and the value of their contribution. The West Nordic Council hopes for a lively discussion that can provide valuable input into the work on the aforementioned strategic framework.

Speaker:

• Bryndís Haraldsdóttir, Vice-President of the West Nordic Council, and MP, Iceland: Introduction.
• Eirik Sivertsen, Chair of the Standing Committee of Arctic Parliamentarians (SCPAR), and MP, Norway: Arctic Parliamentarians and the Arctic Council
• Nauja Bianco, Senior Advisor at the Nordic Council of Ministers: A Pragmatic Reciprocal Approach to Being an Observer in the Arctic Council – a Nordic Case.
• Allen Pope, Executive Secretary of the International Arctic Science Committee: Contributing Scientific Expertise to the Arctic Council.
• Árni Þór Sigurðsson, Ambassador for Arctic Affairs, Senior Arctic Official, Iceland: How can the observers influence the work of the Arctic Council?

Friday, October 13, 17:55 - 19:25
Location: Flói, Ground Level

The workshop is the official kick-off for the project “Promoting Sustainable Student Entrepreneurship in the Arctic”, which has been supported by the Nordic Council of Ministers. Based on the tenet that an essential driver for a sustainable development of the Arctic region is to promote sustainable entrepreneurship among students - the future generations of entrepreneurs - the project aims to build a Nordic collaboration on education, learning networks and capacity building within student entrepreneurship at HE institutions in the Arctic.

Speakers:

• Sune Nordentoft Lauritsen, Head of Secretariat, Polar DTU, Technical University of Denmark: People, planet and profit in the Arctic - Promoting Sustainable Student Entrepreneurship in the Arctic region
• Pål Fernvall, Senior Entrepreneurship Officer, DTU Skylab, Technical University of Denmark: Fostering entrepreneurial mindsets among students – how entrepreneurial competences can be cultivated among students and faculty
• Anne Lise Kappel, Head of Department, Ilisimatusarfik: Student entrepreneurship in Greenland and the people bottom line
• Lau Øfjord Blaxekjær, Assistant Professor, Programme Director of West Nordic Studies, Fróðskaparsetur Føroya (University of the Faroe Islands): Student entrepreneurship in the Faroe Islands and the planet bottom line
• Kristoffer Buch, Innovation Manager, DTU Skylab, Technical University of Denmark: Arctic EntrepreneurShip – An ambitious entrepreneurial voyage along the west coast of Greenland

Location: Háaloft, Eighth Level
Friday, October 13, 17:55 - 19:25

After a comprehensive overview of the latest scientific findings from the ICE-ARC consortium regarding the dominant risks and opportunities due to Arctic change, the discussion will focus on “Solutions”, as outlined by the following themes:

1. Translating research findings into climate policy
2. Sustainability transitions in Arctic maritime transport – insights from LNG in Northern Europe
3. Opportunities and risks for regional Arctic economy in Greenland
4. Can the future state of the Arctic sustain the global climate system?

The outcomes of the discussion will be summarised in the form of a policy briefing, which will be published by the ICE-ARC consortium and distributed via the EU, Arctic Circle, WBCSD, WEF, ECF and other channels.

For more information see - Invitation link

Panelists: 

• Gail Whiteman: Welcome and Introduction to the ICE-ARC project and the Roundtable Event
• Dmitry Yumashev: Implications of Arctic climate feedbacks for the world’s ability to achieve the long-term climate targets from the Paris Agreement
• Dmitry Yumashev: Climatic implications and economic benefits of moving industries to the Arctic: the case of transit shipping via the Northern Sea Route
• Paul Young: The Arctic as a barometer of global climate risk: correlations between sea ice decline and global crop yields’ losses

Speakers:

• Chris Hope, Reader in Policy Modelling at Judge Business School, and Visiting Professor at University College, London: Translating research findings into climate policy
• Domagoj Baresic, Doctoral Researcher at University College London, Energy Institute: Sustainability transitions in Arctic maritime transport - insights from LNG in northern Europe
• Hilmar Ögmundsson, senior advisor in the Greenlandic Ministry of Finance: Opportunities and risks for regional Arctic economy in Greenland
• Rafe Pomerance, Chairman of Arctic 21: Can the future state of the Arctic sustain the global climate system?
• Dmitry Yumashev and Gail Whiteman: Concluding remarks

Chair:

Gail Whiteman (Director of the Pentland Centre, Lancaster University & Professor in Residence at WBCSD)

Friday, October 13, 16:25 - 17:55
Location: Silfurberg A, Second Level

In other words, the Arctic region has become part and parcel of systemic global environmental, economic, technological, cultural and political change. In this session, we will discuss the ‘globalized’ Arctic as a place both produced by global processes and affecting global processes, as well as initiating potential innovations for policy formulations, through the way its transformation is being governed.

Speakers:

• Cécile Pelaudeix, Associate Professor, Aarhus University & Research associate PACTE-Sciences Po Grenoble: International Norm Dynamics and Arctic Governance
• Michael Byers, Professor & Canada Research Chair, Department of Political Science, University of British Columbia: Arctic International Law is Global International Law
• Florian Vidal – Ph.D. Candidate, University of Paris Descartes: Globalized Arctic: From the Andean Mountains to the Barents region
• Alexander Pelyasov, Director, Center for the Arctic and Northern economies: Corporate Russian Arctic: Role of Russian Arctic Resource Corporations Locally and Globally
• Lassi Heininen, Professor, University of Lapland: A Lesson to Learn from Arctic Geopolitics – High Stability as an Asset to (Re)Formulate World Politics?

Moderator:

Matthias Finger, Professor, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale Lausanne (EPFL):

Friday, October 13, 17:55 - 19:25

Location: Kaldalón, Ground Level

This session will allow us to share our expectations of how climate change challenges and opportunities could influence long term planning at a regional, city and neighborhood scale. We will compare current approaches in Scotland and Iceland and share our ideas on building greater resilience into our plans for the future. The session will show that ambitious and innovative spatial planning can ensure we adapt to future climate change whilst also delivering better outcomes for people and places

Speakers:

• Fiona Simpson, Assistant Chief Planner, Scottish Government: Scotland’s National Planning Framework and Climate Change Plan – guiding transformational change
• Cathy Johnston, Group Manager, Development and Regeneration Services, Glasgow City Council: City planning for climate change – Glasgow
• Ásdís Hlökk Theodórsdóttir, Director, National Planning Agency, Iceland: Planning for resilience at the national level
• Björn Axelsson, Director of Planning, the City of Reykjavík Council: Sustainable neighbourhood plans from a local perspective
• Ólöf Örvarsdóttir, Head of Department of Environment and Planning, City of Reykjavik Council: Sustainable future

Discussion: What are the common challenges? What needs to change? How can we share innovation?

Chair:

• John McNairney, Chief Planner, Scottish Government

Friday, October 13, 17:55 - 19:25

Location: Hafnarkot, Ground Level

The pattern of recent surface warming observed in Arctic exhibits undergoing dramatic changes during the past few decades, with wide ranging impacts on natural and social systems. From four aspects, including atmosphere, sea ice, ecology and remote sensing, this session aims at presenting the views and initiating ideas by young scientists from the Joint Center on Global Change Studies, Beijing Normal University.

Speakers:

• Yating Chen, Master Candidate: Spatial Change of Carbon Storage in Circum-Arctic Permafrost Area under Geoengineering
• Xinchen Lv, Master Candidate: Seasonal Patterns of Canopy Photosynthesis Captured by Remotely Sensed Fluorescence and Vegetation Indexes at Mid-to-high Latitude Forests
• Yifan Ding, PhD Candidate: Derivation of Melt Ponds on Arctic Sea Ice using MODIS Surface Reflectance Data
• Yuanyuan Zhang, PhD Candidate: The Potential Role of Sea Ice Leads in the Seasonal Arctic Sea Ice Extent Prediction
• Zhuoqi Chen, Associate Professor: The Latest Image Mosaic of Greenland Based on Landsat 8
• Chuanfeng Zhao, Professor: Association Between Arctic Warming and Mid-Latitude Pollution

Chairs:

• Xiao Cheng, Professor, College of Global Change and Earth System Science, Beijing Normal University
• Chuanfeng Zhao, Professor, College of Global Change and Earth System Science, Beijing Normal University

Friday, October 13, 17:55 - 19:25
Location: Viðey, Second Level

The panel discussion will address:

• the possibilities of using a planned Danish/Greenland research hub in Greenland to coordinate infrastructure and logistics across science disciplines, universities and countries.
• the currently increasing interest among foreign polar research institutions on establishing research infrastructure in Greenland.
• the increasing need for improved overview of research projects and similar activities in and around Greenland.

The outcome of the discussions will be provided as a report to the Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science and the Greenland Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Church and will further be reported at the annual meeting in Forum of Arctic Research Operators at Arctic Science Summit Week 2018 in Davos, Switzerland, June 2018.
The breakout session is coordinated with the Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science and should be seen as a breakout session relating to the plenum session by the Danish Realm with the title: ‘New Opportunities. Arctic Science from research to practice’.

Speakers:

• “Existing Greenlandic/Danish research infrastructure in Greenland”
  • Morten Rasch, University of Copenhagen
  • Peter Schmidt Mikkelsen, Aarhus University
• Jennifer Mercer, US-NSF: U.S. Infrastructure for Scientific Research in Greenland
• Konrad Steffen, Swiss Polar Institute: Swiss Camp Climatology, 1990 – 2017
• Yong Yu, Polar Research Institute of China: China’s plans concerning establishment of a research station in Greenland
• Nicole Biebow, Alfred Wegener Institute (EU-PolarNet): EU-PolarNet – Recommendations for European research
• Margareta Johansson, Lund University (INTERACT): Pan-arctic cooperation between research infrastructures – INTERACT
• Søren Rysgaard, Aarhus University: A short history of marine research 1994 to 2017 in Greenland
• Bo Elberling, University of Copenhagen: Future needs for research infrastructure in the ice-free part of Greenland
• Frej Sorento Dichmann, Ministry of Higher Education and Science: Potential for an international research hub in Greenland
• Sten Lund, Greenland Government: Greenland Research Strategy, International Research HUB in Greenland

Chair:

Morten Pejrup, University of Copenhagen.

Friday, October 13, 17:55 - 19:25
Location: Skarðsheiði, Third Level

Professor Ravna explains Norways’ measures to implement ILO Convention 169 through legislation and case-law. Dr Joona examines the provision of culturally and linguistically appropriate education to Sámi children living outside of traditional Sámi homeland in Finland. Finally, Ms Sheldon discusses the challenges of creating an indigenous justice system for Yukon First Nations.

Speakers:

• Emma Wilson, Director, ECW Energy Ltd.; Associate, Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge: Indigenous Rights and Extractive Industries in the Arctic: Evaluation of International Ethical Standards and Guidelines
• Øyvind Ravna, Professor of Law, University of Tromsø: the Arctic University of Norway: How Norway Meets its Commitments to the Sámi under International Law: assessed by the most recent case law.
• Tanya Joona, Senior Researcher, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland: The Right to Education and Culture of Indigenous Sámi Children and Youth in Finland – Challenges of Urbanization.
• Melaina Sheldon, B.A., Jane Glassco Northern Fellowship Alumna, Gordon Foundation (Canada): We don’t want a brown version of the YTG, in Nän K'ałädàtth'ät (Changing times, continuing ways)

Chair:

Apostolos Tsiouvalas, LL.M. Polar law candidate, University of Akureyri

Friday, October 13, 17:55 - 19:25
Location: Esja, Fifth Level

CNARC’s purpose is twofold: 1) to increase awareness, understanding and knowledge of the Arctic and its global impacts and 2) to promote cooperation for sustainable development of the Nordic Arctic and coherent development of China in a global context. Now the CNARC has fourteen member institutes and has hosted a range of activities, including five rounds of the annual China-Nordic Arctic Cooperation Symposium and CNARC Roundtable on an economic and cultural matter of strategic significance, four rounds of the CNARC Fellowship exchange of scholars between Chinese and Nordic institutes, as well as a joint China-Nordic Arctic book project is underway. This session will introduce the evolution of the China-Nordic Arctic Cooperation, and explore new frontiers for the CNARC cooperation.

Speakers:

• Yang Huigen, Director-General, Polar Research Institute of China and Director, CNARC: The Evolution of the CNARC
• Thorsteinn Gunnarsson, Senior Adviser, Icelandic Centre for Research: North meets East: Learning at the Crossroads
• Yang Jian, Vice President, Shanghai Institutes for International Studies and Deputy Director, CNARC: Chinese perspectives on CNARC
• Timo Koivurova, Director and Research Professor, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland: Finnish perspectives on CNARC
• Jan-Gunnar Winther, Specialist / Director, Norwegian Polar Institute: Norwegian perspectives on CNARC
• Egill Thor Nielsson, Executive Secretary, CNARC and Visiting Scholar, Polar Research Institute of China: CNARC perspectives on the evolution of the China-Nordic Arctic Cooperation

Chair:

Hallgrimur Jonasson, Director-General, Icelandic Centre for Research

Friday, October 13, 17:55 - 19:25

Location: Ríma A, Ground Level

Research indicates that ocean currents carry considerable volumes of litter from other locations and deposit them in the Arctic, including the Svalbard archipelago and the island of Jan Mayen. Not much is known about the amount and type of marine litter on the shores of these two remote Arctic areas, let alone their sources. The featured study, sponsored by the Netherlands, is addressing these questions.

It is hoped that the findings can advance both understanding and management of marine litter in the Svalbard Archipelago, but also contribute to policy development in the context of the Arctic Council and other relevant fora.

The session, which will be moderated by Jorden Splinter, Senior Arctic Official and Senior Advisor on Polar Affairs at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and will involve interventions by each panelist, followed by an exchange of views with the audience.

Participants are invited to an informal networking reception immediately after the session.

Speakers:

• Tom van Oorschot, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Iceland: Welcome
• Erik van Sebille, Associate Professor, Utrecht University: Chasing plastic: sources, fate and impact of marine litter in the Arctic“Arctic Marine Litter, sources,
• “Arctic Marine Litter, sources, solutions and action”
  • Wouter Jan Strietman, Project Manager and Researcher, Wageningen University and Research
  • Eelco Leemans, Founder and CEO, Leemans Maritime Consultancy
• Jan Belgers, Senior Expedition Leader, Oceanwide Expeditions: A Cruise Company’s Take on Reducing Arctic Waste

Chair:

• Jorden Splinter, Senior Adviser on Polar Affairs, Senior Arctic Official Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs