Increased human activities in the Arctic will have significant economic, political, and social implications for Arctic nations, but are also likely to impact Arctic ecosystems and human populations It is thus important to balance the use of Arctic ecosystems with their conservation. Arctic Frontiers Tromsø unites the entire range of arctic stakeholders to define priorities for development and research in a conference titled “Balancing human use and ecosystem protection”. The ultimate goal is to understand arctic regions within a pan-arctic perspective,and to promote sustainable levels of human activity based on scientific knowledge and cultural sensitivity.
Part I The Policy Making Conference (Monday 22 – Tuesday 23 January):
Addressing responsibilities for sustainable development in the Arctic
Between January 21 and 26 in 2007 Arctic Frontiers Tromsø will be a forum for stakeholders to share perspectives with regard to upcoming environmental and social challenges in the Arctic and discuss how they intend to take responsibility in order to solve these. The vital roles of science, governments, and the public sector, and the need for collaboration among these entities, will be elucidated.
Session I - Resources and environment, opportunities and challenges in the Arctic
Demand for reliable supplies of energy and the expected petroleum and gas resources available are major driving forces behind the current political interest in the Arctic. Presently, national and business interests share interest in the forthcoming opportunities that the Arctic holds for energy, fisheries, and shipping. New questions arise, however, from many voices, both public and private. Who decides the course of development in the Arctic? What is the framework for sharing of responsibilities among the involved nations and stakeholders? How can resources be developed while protecting vulnerable ecosystems for future generations? Session 1 will identify the stakeholders and their interests in Arctic development, describe the opportunities attracting developers, and identify areas of potential conflict among interested parties.
Session II – The role of science as a basis for development strategies
Both development and conservation efforts must be based on sound scientific research. Science can, thus, serve as a foundation upon which to build sustainable development strategies in the Arctic. It is clear that, despite having some unique properties, the European Arctic has much in common with other arctic regions, and it is only with a pan-arctic perspective that development decisions should be made. Keynote speakers from across the Arctic will provide the most current knowledge on biology, physics, climate, and geochemistry in this Session.
Session III - Lessons of good governance
Governments are responsible for providing safety, security, and opportunity for their citizens, and stewardship of their territories. Local, national, and international governments may find themselves in conflict as to the extent of these responsibilities, and the limitations to their ability to fulfill them. Impact analysis, permitting, and monitoring procedures are areas where governmental entities can coordinate efforts to achieve mutual goals, but require transparent, inclusive procedures in developing standard practices. This session will elucidate some of the perceived differences in responsibility among regulators and some of the efforts underway to achieve mutual understanding.
Session IV - Taking responsibility while dreams are shared
In this round-table discussion with international journalists, issues are raised that concern the public. Natural resources are a shared heritage, and the public voice must be heard before decisions on resource use can be made. These decisions are not simple, and come with great responsibility if the dual priorities of development and conservation are to be fulfilled.
Part II
The Scientific conference (Tuesday 23 - Friday 26 January):
Food web dynamics and biogeochemical fluxes in the Arctic Ocean
The science section of Arctic Frontiers Tromsø focuses every year upon timely topics in arctic environmental science in order to understand the World’s least known ocean and to promote pan-arctic comprehension and integration. In 2007 the science section will focus upon Food web dynamics and biogeochemical fluxes in the Arctic Ocean. Three international research programmes focused in the European Arctic and funded by the Research Council of Norway’s Nordklima programme will present their findings. The focus will be in the marginal ice zone of the northern Barents Sea and the deep, permanently ice-covered, adjacent Arctic Ocean. This will be supplemented by presentations from two complimentary international investigations in the Bering Sea/Chukchi Sea region (SBI) and the Canadian Archipelago (CASES) that extend the Norwegian findings across the pan-arctic region. In concert these contributions provide the first pan-arctic comparison of food-web dynamics and biogeochemical fluxes on arctic shelves.