An actionable blueprint
The Arctic Resilience Forum 2020
The second Arctic Resilience Forum was hosted entirely online – and successfully so. We spoke to the main organizers: Jennifer Spence, the Executive Secretary of the Council’s Sustainable Development Working Group, and Joel Clement, Senior Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School. We asked them about the challenge to move the forum into the virtual realm, the unexpected benefits and the ambitious next steps for resilience in the Arctic. Watch or read their interview.
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Definition: Resilience
Resilience is the ability of a system to bounce back and thrive during and after disturbances and shocks. Climate adaptation is an adjustment in natural or human systems, in response to climate change, which is intended to minimize disruption or take advantage of opportunities. Implementing effective climate adaptation measures can build resilience, and actions fostering resilience can build the capacity to adapt. For this reason resilience and climate adaptation are closely linked and often described in commensurate terms.
Definition from the Arctic Council Arctic Resilience Action Framework, 2017
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An action framework for resilience
In 2017, the Foreign Ministers of the eight Arctic States adopted the Arctic Resilience Action Framework. The document provides the Arctic Council with a common set of guiding principles and priorities for action, as well as a platform to continue discussing priorities as they evolve. Explore the framework.
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The Arctic Resilience Forum 2020
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Resilience in a virtual space
The second Arctic Resilience Forum has moved online and is currently underway as a weekly webinars series. Each session touches on a specific aspect of Arctic resilience, ranging from food security and Indigenous youth leadership, to gender, energy and connectivity. The forum seeks to actively engage participants in conversations about how to build resilience of Arctic communities and ecosystems. Learn more.
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Explore past sessions or watch again
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Indigenous Youth Leadership
The first session explored the challenges that Indigenous youth face, and what crises are affecting them. It discussed how Indigenous youth are stepping into leadership roles, and how they can be enabled to capture new opportunities for their communities. Learn more and watch the recording.
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Food Security
Achieving food security has been a varying challenge across diverse Arctic communities, but Covid-19 has laid bare particular challenges associated with access to food and conveyed the urgency of addressing these issues within a larger resilience framework. Learn more and watch the recording.
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Renewable Energy
Energy can be constraint to growth, or a means to achieve a greater vision. As the changing climate, increasing costs, and health necessitate a transition away from diesel dependence, what does that look like? What tools are available to support that transition? Get the answers, watch the recording.
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Human Health and Pandemics
What have we learned from the Covid-19 pandemic so far and how can resilience best be supported going forward? The session explored how the pandemic has demonstrated strength and resilience of communities, and it described some longstanding vulnerabilities exposed by the pandemic. Learn more.
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#Youth4ArcticResilience
We want to hear from you(th)! Share your ideas about resilience. Post a short video (max 30 sec) with your questions, ideas and experiences and post it on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. Learn how.
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Broadband Connectivity
Broadband connectivity enables people to connect, collaborate and participate. In order to survive and thrive in times of crisis the Arctic must find a way to leverage technology to stay connected. This panel featured technologists, telecom leaders, and Arctic community members. Listen to them.
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Gender
Gender and diversity play a key role in building resilience and adaptation pathways within any given social-ecological system through recognizing and celebrating gendered diversity in knowledge, institutions and everyday practice. Learn why and how.
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Socio-Ecological Resilience
Social-ecological resilience in the Arctic depends upon ecosystems - they are the life-support system that makes resilience in the North possible. This session described the important role of wetlands ecosystems in supporting Arctic resilience. Learn more.
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Financing Resilience
What are the financing needs of Arctic communities? What are some of the innovative partnerships that demonstrate the potential of investing in Arctic resilience? What more can we do to create an enabling environment for financing Arctic resilience? Find the answers.
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Still to come - register now!
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9 December: Infrastructure
The Arctic has an infrastructure problem. Basic assets that enable life in an integrated, globalized world—roads, ports, power grids, internet cables—are frequently inadequate, outdated, or nonexistent. Join the discussion on resiliency in infrastructure.
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16 December: Indigenous and Western Knowledge Systems
This Talking Circle session will bring together a diverse panel of Indigenous knowledge holders and western scholars. It will focus on discussing the engagement of Indigenous knowledge systems to promote resilience in the Arctic and practical ways, in which such co-production could be successful. Join in.
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The Arctic Council's social corner
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From the Indigenous Peoples' Secretariat Facebook feed
 24 November 2020. Almost 70 participants joined a Permanent Participants' youth online event to get together one year after the 1st Arctic Youth Leaders' Summit. The IPS Chair, Dr. Ellen Inga Turi from the Saami Council gave an introductory remark highlighting the role and the work of the youth in the Arctic cooperation. Haliehana Stepetin, PhD in Native American Studies at UC Davis, representing Unganax region and Project Manager Tukuminnguaq Nykjær Olsen from ICC Greenland gave inspirational keynote speeches. The panel had representatives from PP organizations and Indigenous representatives from around the Arctic. Follow the IPS Facebook and IPS website for more information about the future public event and development of a youth declaration.
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