Periodic Reporting for period 2 - ArcticHubs (Global drivers, local consequences: Tools for global change adaptation and sustainable development of industrial and cultural Arctic “hubs”)
Reporting period: 2022-02-01 to 2023-07-31
ArcticHubs - Global drivers, local consequences: Tools for global change adaptation and sustainable development of industrial and cultural Arctic “hubs”
Increasing global competition for natural resources poses major challenges to the Arctic. ArcticHubs will develop sustainable solutions for reconciliation of competing livelihoods and land-use modes in key Arctic ‘hubs’—important socioeconomic nodes in a geographical network—and their surroundings, considering in particular the needs and cultures of local communities (incl. indigenous people). This will be achieved by applying multi- and interdisciplinary, multi-actor participatory approaches to systematically map, identify and analyse global drivers and pressures with high environmental, societal and economic impacts affecting 33 key hubs examining sustainability of fish farming, multiple use of forests, tourism, mining and indigenous cultures. The outcome of ArcticHubs will be the provision of solution-oriented tools, such as improved public participatory geographical information systems, guidelines for ‘social license to operate’, and future scenarios to Arctic communities, industrial stakeholders, decision- and policymakers, and other relevant actors. This will enable creation and implementation of regional development strategies that reconcile new economic opportunities with traditional livelihoods, and increase the resilience of both new and existing industries and livelihoods against environmental, economic and political changes in the Arctic. The impact of the project will be long-term sustainability and resilience of future environmental, sociocultural, economic and political factors in the increasingly competitive and globalised Arctic, enhancing social acceptance of increased economic activity. These impacts will contribute to the implementation of the new integrated EU policy for the Arctic, IPPC assessments and other major regional and global initiatives, provide support to the EU Arctic Research Cluster, and enhance engagement of and interaction between local (incl. indigenous), national and global actors.
Increasing global competition for natural resources poses major challenges to the Arctic. ArcticHubs will develop sustainable solutions for reconciliation of competing livelihoods and land-use modes in key Arctic ‘hubs’—important socioeconomic nodes in a geographical network—and their surroundings, considering in particular the needs and cultures of local communities (incl. indigenous people). This will be achieved by applying multi- and interdisciplinary, multi-actor participatory approaches to systematically map, identify and analyse global drivers and pressures with high environmental, societal and economic impacts affecting 33 key hubs examining sustainability of fish farming, multiple use of forests, tourism, mining and indigenous cultures. The outcome of ArcticHubs will be the provision of solution-oriented tools, such as improved public participatory geographical information systems, guidelines for ‘social license to operate’, and future scenarios to Arctic communities, industrial stakeholders, decision- and policymakers, and other relevant actors. This will enable creation and implementation of regional development strategies that reconcile new economic opportunities with traditional livelihoods, and increase the resilience of both new and existing industries and livelihoods against environmental, economic and political changes in the Arctic. The impact of the project will be long-term sustainability and resilience of future environmental, sociocultural, economic and political factors in the increasingly competitive and globalised Arctic, enhancing social acceptance of increased economic activity. These impacts will contribute to the implementation of the new integrated EU policy for the Arctic, IPPC assessments and other major regional and global initiatives, provide support to the EU Arctic Research Cluster, and enhance engagement of and interaction between local (incl. indigenous), national and global actors.
The strategic goal of ArcticHubs is to develop sustainable, solution-oriented responses for the reconciliation of competing livelihoods and land-use modes in the Arctic, whilst respecting the needs and cultures of local populations (e.g. Sámi in Fennoscandia). Key industrial activities with high societal and economic value - such as mining, fish farming, tourism and forestry - will be analysed in terms of their consequences on ecosystem services and well-being of local communities.
To achieve the strategic goal the following specific objectives of the ArcticHubs have been targeted during the first 18 months of the ArcticHubs project:
1. Map and analyse global drivers influencing the future of the Arctic and explore how different kinds of global actors in the region understand their social, economic and environmental responsibilities (WP1);
2. Identify and quantify current environmental, socioeconomic, cultural and political salient impacts of various industrial activities in the Arctic, and assess how predicted changes in activity (new or increased activity, fewer local and more global actors) resulting from adaptive responses to climate change will affect these impacts (WPs 2 & 3);
3. Provide interactive tools for decision- and policymakers to assist decision-making processes, in order to maximize the uptake of knowledge of local situations and tensions, and to provide channels for continuous communication and dialogue with stakeholder groups via a multi-actor, co-design approach which both emphasises global linkages but also recognises the need, priorities and perspectives to develop participation in more local and regional contexts (WP4);
Schematic presentation of the ArtcticHubs work flow can be seen in Figure 1 where the working package 1 (WP1) is mapping the global drivers that are causing local environmental, socioeconomic, cultural and political impacts identified in working packages 2 and 3 (WP2 & WP3). Based on these impacts solutions to alleviate or avoid the impacts are developed in ‘glocal’ level in WP4 and 5.
PLACE OF FIGURE 1
Figure 1. ArcticHubs’ WP structure and inter-relations between different WPs and between WPs and hubs working with global, local and ‘glocal’ level issues.
The results of WP1 were presented in the webinar “Global drivers affecting the future of key industries in the European Arctic” on 30th November 2021. The results have been developed into a form of reports during the spring 2022. Meanwhile mapping of local and regional impacts have started in WP2 and 3 and will continue during 2022. The solutions developed in WP4 and 5 are targeted by developing tools to increase the resilience of Arctic communities and livelihoods in context of climate change and other global pressures by enhancing regional planning for the sustainable use of natural resources. Specifically, three core tools are being developed in the project: 1. Public participatory geographical information systems (PPGIS), 2. Guidelines for ‘social license to operate’, and 3. Building of future scenarios to be applied in the Arctic. During the 18 month period the first tool (PPGIS) have been developed and applied in pilot studies in three areas: Inari (Finland), Egersund (Norway) and Westfjord (Iceland). In all of these three locations the relations of tourism with other industries or livelihoods - in Inari indigenous reindeer herding, in Egersund mining and fish farming and in Westfjords with fish farming - were mapped (Figure 2).
PLACE OF FIGURE 2
Figure 2. Example of one page in the PPGIS questionnaire carried out in ArcticHubs (in Inari, Finland) where local people’s opinions of the impacts of tourism (where and what kind) were inquired.
PPGIS questionnaires have yield e.g. areas on the map where the respondents have indicated that no tourism should be allowed, and on the other hand, areas where respondents have indicated as
PLACE OF FIGURE 3
Figure 3. Figure 3. Capture of the results of the Pilot PPGIS survey in Inari. Participants were asked to draw on the map areas where tourism should not be allowed and areas where tourism should be directed. Inari lake was a hotspot in the answer: responses for and against tourism developments were partially overlapping in the lake area. It was one of the reasons why Inari lake was selected for the further phases for interactive PPGIS.
Future scenarios have been co-created in workshops preceded by Delphi surveys (in WP5). As an example in Inari international youth workshop was arranged (Figure 4) to find out how young people in the Arctic see the future, and what are the threats and opportunities that the future brings.
PLACE OF FIGURE 4
Figure 4. A working group in the Inari youth workshop in August 2023.
Project results have been communicated mainly via webinars, newsletters, Twitter, LinkedIn and project homepage: https://projects.luke.fi/arctichubs/
To achieve the strategic goal the following specific objectives of the ArcticHubs have been targeted during the first 18 months of the ArcticHubs project:
1. Map and analyse global drivers influencing the future of the Arctic and explore how different kinds of global actors in the region understand their social, economic and environmental responsibilities (WP1);
2. Identify and quantify current environmental, socioeconomic, cultural and political salient impacts of various industrial activities in the Arctic, and assess how predicted changes in activity (new or increased activity, fewer local and more global actors) resulting from adaptive responses to climate change will affect these impacts (WPs 2 & 3);
3. Provide interactive tools for decision- and policymakers to assist decision-making processes, in order to maximize the uptake of knowledge of local situations and tensions, and to provide channels for continuous communication and dialogue with stakeholder groups via a multi-actor, co-design approach which both emphasises global linkages but also recognises the need, priorities and perspectives to develop participation in more local and regional contexts (WP4);
Schematic presentation of the ArtcticHubs work flow can be seen in Figure 1 where the working package 1 (WP1) is mapping the global drivers that are causing local environmental, socioeconomic, cultural and political impacts identified in working packages 2 and 3 (WP2 & WP3). Based on these impacts solutions to alleviate or avoid the impacts are developed in ‘glocal’ level in WP4 and 5.
PLACE OF FIGURE 1
Figure 1. ArcticHubs’ WP structure and inter-relations between different WPs and between WPs and hubs working with global, local and ‘glocal’ level issues.
The results of WP1 were presented in the webinar “Global drivers affecting the future of key industries in the European Arctic” on 30th November 2021. The results have been developed into a form of reports during the spring 2022. Meanwhile mapping of local and regional impacts have started in WP2 and 3 and will continue during 2022. The solutions developed in WP4 and 5 are targeted by developing tools to increase the resilience of Arctic communities and livelihoods in context of climate change and other global pressures by enhancing regional planning for the sustainable use of natural resources. Specifically, three core tools are being developed in the project: 1. Public participatory geographical information systems (PPGIS), 2. Guidelines for ‘social license to operate’, and 3. Building of future scenarios to be applied in the Arctic. During the 18 month period the first tool (PPGIS) have been developed and applied in pilot studies in three areas: Inari (Finland), Egersund (Norway) and Westfjord (Iceland). In all of these three locations the relations of tourism with other industries or livelihoods - in Inari indigenous reindeer herding, in Egersund mining and fish farming and in Westfjords with fish farming - were mapped (Figure 2).
PLACE OF FIGURE 2
Figure 2. Example of one page in the PPGIS questionnaire carried out in ArcticHubs (in Inari, Finland) where local people’s opinions of the impacts of tourism (where and what kind) were inquired.
PPGIS questionnaires have yield e.g. areas on the map where the respondents have indicated that no tourism should be allowed, and on the other hand, areas where respondents have indicated as
PLACE OF FIGURE 3
Figure 3. Figure 3. Capture of the results of the Pilot PPGIS survey in Inari. Participants were asked to draw on the map areas where tourism should not be allowed and areas where tourism should be directed. Inari lake was a hotspot in the answer: responses for and against tourism developments were partially overlapping in the lake area. It was one of the reasons why Inari lake was selected for the further phases for interactive PPGIS.
Future scenarios have been co-created in workshops preceded by Delphi surveys (in WP5). As an example in Inari international youth workshop was arranged (Figure 4) to find out how young people in the Arctic see the future, and what are the threats and opportunities that the future brings.
PLACE OF FIGURE 4
Figure 4. A working group in the Inari youth workshop in August 2023.
Project results have been communicated mainly via webinars, newsletters, Twitter, LinkedIn and project homepage: https://projects.luke.fi/arctichubs/