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European Arctic Initiatives Compendium

The European Arctic Initiatives Compendium has now been published.

The compendium, which is part of work package one of the project, compiles flagship initiatives undertaken in the Arctic regions by member states and actors operating within states belonging to the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA).

It aims to assist in an Arctic Information Centre feasibility study; to provide a window into Arctic initiatives that may inform the European Arctic Impact Assessment (EUAIA) which forms part of the Preparatory Action; and to inform the European Commission on European Arctic Initiatives.

The Compendium provides an overview of existing inventories and reports before proceeding to detail European infrastructural and institutional initiatives in the Arctic.

The compendium documents major strategic processes initiated by European bodies in the Arctic. It also outlines initiatives related to monitoring and assessment as well as commercial development.

Click here to download the Compendium.

Source: EU – Arctic Information Center

October 29, 2013
Greenland plays host to legal dispute

Meeting the challenges of their previous decisions, Greenlandic government decided to discuss controversial mining law that was passed at the end of last year.

Local regulations that make it easier for foreign investors to mine for raw materials caused major disputes in some circles.

Current activities around Greenlandic mines could make Greenland the world´s leading rare earth producer what would mean increased presence of foreign workers in the country as the current population of 55 000 people would quickly become insufficient.

New legislation is about to state that the foreign workers, very often underpaid, would have to earn at least the equivalent to Greenlandic minimum wage, meaning that more locals would be taken where possible.

What is more the new legislation is likely to include concessions to unions on disability and holiday pay.

Last week Greenlandic government awarded UK – based company London Mining 30 – year license to build and run a giant iron ore mine.

October 28, 2013
Research positions available in Hamburg

The University of Hamburg has an opening for 2 research associate positions (with opportunity to pursue a PhD dissertation) to work on the investigation of land-atmosphere carbon (CO₂ and CH₄) exchange of permafrost landscapes using eddy covariance flux measurements (position 1) and stable isotope (13CO2) techniques (position 2), respectively.

Both research associates will work within the collaborative project “CARBOPERM – Carbon in Permafrost” which is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research of Germany.

The first position is dedicated to the micrometeorological investigation of the balances and controls of the exchange fluxes of CO₂ and CH₄ between the atmosphere and the dominant tundra types in the north-Siberian Lena River Delta.

The second position is dedicated to the partitioning of the carbon fluxes into the underlying physiological processes, e.g., photosynthesis, autotrophic respiration, heterotrophic respiration, CH4 production and CH4 oxidation as well as to investigating the gas transport processes within the soil-vegetation-atmosphere continuum using stable isotope techniques.

The short-term contracts terminate on 30.09.2016, subject to the actual granted funds. The preferred starting date is 1 January 2014.

Closing date for applications: 15 November 2013

Follow the link for more information on the available job opportunities.

October 25, 2013
SAO Meeting ended in Whitehorse

The first Senior Arctic Officials (SAO) meeting of the Canadian Chairmanship was held in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada, 22 – 23 October.

In May 2013, Canada assumed the two – year Chairmanship of the Arctic Council from Sweden. The Honorable Leona Aglukkaq, an Inuk from Nunavut, is Canada´s Minister for the Arctic Council and Chair of the Council during Canada´s Chairmanship.

Minister Aglukkaq delivered remarks at the first executive meeting of SAO. For more information, please read the full media advisory on the website Department of Foreign Affairs Canada.

High resolution photos from the Whitehorse Senior Arctic Officials’ and Permanent Participants’ meeting held 21-23 October can be found in the Arctic Council Flickr gallery.

These photos are available for use through the Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derives Creative Commons license. Please credit the Arctic Council Secretariat.

October 24, 2013
IICWG meets in Reykjavik

International meeting of International Ice Charting Working Group (IICWG) is being held in Reykjavik 21^st – 25^th of October 2013.

The conference is open for public. Icelandic participants are to include representatives from University of Iceland, Department of Geology and Icelandic Meteorological Office.

The IICWG has been meeting for 13 years, since 1999. During this time, the group has been successful at developing a collegial working relationship amongst the majority of the world´s ice informational services.

Meetings of IICWG are being held annually. Participants are to include representatives of the national governmental and private ice services from the northern hemisphere.

Please, follow the link to read more about the meeting and the working group.

October 23, 2013
APECS Nordic Webinars start tomorrow!
The APECS Norden Project “Bridging Early Career Researchers and Indigenous Peoples in Nordic Countries” will feature a series of 6 webinars.

The webinar series will identify current research challenges from the perspective of ECRs and Indigenous peoples and will aim to define potential solutions to overcome these existing challenges to communication and other research issues.

The topics of the 6 webinars will be posted here once the schedule and program has been finalized. Speakers will include leading experts, Early Career Researchers, Indigenous youth and Indigenous researchers from Nordic regions as well as others. Tentative subjects include the following:
- History, culture and overview of Nordic Indigenous peoples
- Indigenous peoples’ perspectives on climate change issues, and related scientific and research activities
- Developing confidence in researching at the local level
- Improving communication and Incorporating Traditional Knowledge and local experts into research projects
- Strategies to engage youth indigenous peoples in education and outreach
- Strategies to create important sustainable research with support from local indigenous people.
Webinars will be held weekly in October & November 2013. The schedule including dates, times, registration information and webinar topics will be posted here soon.

General information and other activities within the APECS Norden Project.
October 22, 2013
Arctic conference to be held in Moscow

On December 2-3, 2013 the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) together with the Institute of the World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO) RAS and in partnership with the Pew Charitable Trusts and the Center for Strategic and International Studies will hold in Moscow an International Conference on “The Arctic: Region of Development and Cooperation”.

The event is endorsed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.

The Conference is held in line with RIAC long-term projectRoadmap for International Cooperation in the Arctic, aimed at promoting the development strategy of the Russian Arctic and preserving its unique environment on the basis of international cooperation.

At the beginning of December this year RIAC will release anannual report “International Cooperation in the Arctic”and a three-volume anthology “The Arctic region: Problems of International Cooperation,” covering the essential materials on the Arctic research in recent years and systematizing the legal framework of the international cooperation and activities of Russia and other Arctic nations in the region. These editions will be presented at the Conference.

The main objective of the Conference is to establish a permanent forum for representatives of the expert community, ministries and departments for systematizing the experience of international cooperation in the Arctic in order to develop proposals for effective development of the region and responsible use of its resources.

Click here for more information about the conference.

October 18, 2013
Ten students – one goal

The Arctic Portal, together with Page21 project is happy to promote another outreach product on permafrost research.

The video presents the Ph.D course that took place in Zackenberg, North – East Greenland.
The movie shows the fieldwork of ten young permafrost researchers from four Nordic Universities who set out to remote Zackenberg valley at 74 ° N in NE-Greenland.

The students participate in a PhD course entitled AG 833 “High-Arctic Permafrost landscape dynamics in Svalbard and NE-Greenland”.

Goal of this course is to better understand the landscape history and to link present and future periglacial processes with carbon and nitrogen dynamics at two high-Arctic sites: Zackenberg valley in NE-Greenland and Svalbard.

AG 833 is organized by the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), Norway, and the Center for Permafrost (CENPERM) at the University of Copenhagen, financially supported by Perma-Nordnet of NORDEN, a project as part of the “Nordic Ministerial Council” Arctic collaboration program in Norway.

October 17, 2013
Heiðar Guðjónsson about Arctic Circle

Today, 16^th of October, Heiðar Guðjónsson, the Icelandic economist and business specialist, gave a speech in Icelandic radio station Bylgian on outcomes from the Arctic Circle.

He highlighted the opportunities that arise from melting Arctic sea ice not only for Iceland but also for other states to include Asian – Arctic partners such as China, Singapore and Korea.

He stressed a need for economic cooperation between Arctic states with regards to Arctic natural resources exploration and exploitation.

Arctic Circle took place in Reykjavik, the capital city of Iceland 12^th – 14^th of October 2013. It was established to facilitate dialogue and build relationships to address rapid changes in the Arctic.

Participants in the Arctic Circle included a range of global decision-makers from all sectors, including political and business leaders, indigenous representatives, nongovernmental and environmental representatives, policy and thought leaders, scientists, experts, activists, students and media.

Conference aims to strengthen the decision making process by bringing together as many international partners as possible to interact under one large “open tent”.

The interview with Heiðar Guðjónsson can be accessed here (in Icelandic). To find out more about the Arctic Circle, please follow the link.

October 16, 2013
Arctic Yearbook is now launched

On Saturday, 12^th of October 2013, The Arctic Yearbook 2013 has been spectacularly launched during the Arctic Circle.

The Yearbook, which is this year devoted to how the Arctic of Regions meets the Globalized Arctic, examines the nature of this historic crossroads from different angles.

It thus contributes in significant ways to the most important transformation the Arctic has ever encountered, demonstrating how science and scholarly dialogue are, and must be, guiding principles of Arctic cooperation and introduce our new partners to an important tradition, the foundation of successful Arctic cooperation.

The Arctic Yearbook has been the outcome of international cooperation between Northern Research Forum and University of the Arctic.

The Arctic Yearbook is available under limited copyright protection agreement. The publication is available for download, distribution or photocopy. Citation or excerption of this document must be provided properly, giving full credit to an author and editor of a text. Publication shall not be used for commercial purposes.

The Arctic Yearbook is being hosted and designed by the Arctic Portal.

Click here to read more and download your copy of the Arctic Yearbook 2013.

October 15, 2013