Periodic Reporting for period 2 - CAPARDUS (Capacity-building in Arctic standardisation development)
Reporting period: 2021-06-01 to 2023-05-31
The main objectives of the project have been to establish a framework for Arctic standards, document how standards develops within selected themes, and engage users and communities in designing an Arctic Practice System. There is growing human presence and footprint in the Arctic, which requires rules, regulations and guidelines, adapted to local and regional conditions.
There is no “standard Arctic”, only a variety of highly diverse regions and communities. People living and working in the Arctic need to operate according to ethics, norms, informal agreements, conventions, guidelines, and national/international standards.
There is no “standard Arctic”, only a variety of highly diverse regions and communities. People living and working in the Arctic need to operate according to ethics, norms, informal agreements, conventions, guidelines, and national/international standards.
WP1: Establishing a comprehensive framework for Arctic standards. The framework seeks to integrate standards used in research and services, Indigenous and local communities, commercial operators and governance bodies. The framework has focused on selected topics such as observing systems and data systems, natural resource management, tourism, safety, community planning, and responsible research. A graph database using the RDF Model has been used for documenting and analysing the arctic standards ecosystem. The database created is made public through the project website, with supporting tools in GitHub. A working group will be proposed under the Arctic Data Committee to continue the development of the CAPARDUS framework for standards.
WP2: Case studies in Greenland. In Greenland management of natural resources is one of the major challenges in development of sustainable communities. Focus has been on how the community-based monitoring (CBM) systems are used and how guidelines and standard for CBMs are developing. Workshops and dialogue meetings have been organised with participation from national and regional authorities, local fishers and hunters, research groups and international organisations. The work has also included use of Bayesian Belief Network model, where local knowledge is combined with scientific knowledge to support management of halibut fisheries. A software tool, SurBayes, was developed and used to run the BBN model to produce scenarios of future livelihood for fishers and hunters. This information is important for industries and communities that are dependent on exploiting wildlife resources.
WP3: Case studies in Svalbard. The case study has organized several meetings and workshops with Longyearbyen Local Council, the Governor of Svalbard, tourist operators, shipping companies and other actors to identify standards, practice and guidelines for various activities that are important in Svalbard. By involving the public, new data can be collected from a wider area, results shared more effectively through society, and environmental issues better understood. The tourist operators have strong focus on developing sustainable tourism, which means that the quality in all parts of the industry should be improved and that the value creation for the society should increase. The Arctic Safety Center at UNIS plays a central role in providing training, education and research within safety, because increased human activities in the region will require more knowledge about different safey aspects in the Polar regions.
WP4: Case studies in Russia. In this study, the goal was to further develop ‘good’ practices for CBM work and promote the rights of Arctic Indigenous and local communities. The coordination of the work was undertaken by the Center for Support of Indigenous Peoples of the North (CSIPN). The project activities were implemented in two regions: in the north-west of the country, in the Murmansk region (Kola Peninsula) and in the east – in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).
WP5: Case studies in USA. The case study was focused on the Indigenous communities in Alaska and how they use CBM to support fishing, hunting and travelling in the region. Permafrost thaw, leading to coastal erosion flooding are major threats to communities all around Alaska, but mostly in the coastal regions.
WP6: Arctic Practice System. The main objective was to study requirements and propose a design for an Arctic Practices System (APS): a digital system to promote the sharing of methodological knowledge about living, working, researching, and sustainably managing the Arctic and its resources. Such a system would address challenges such as fragmented and limited access to Arctic practices, by providing an integrative platform for discovery, access, and collaboration. Many of the user groups have their own information systems that they want to develop further or they plan to design new systems. An APS should therefore not replace existing systems, but rather be connected to them in a federated way. From the case studies, a number of user profiles were identified, where requirements for an APS were discussed. A design document for an APS was prepared, describing how an APS can be implemented. The realization of an APS would be a goal for a follow-up project.
WP7: Synthesis, requirements and recommendations. The conclusions of the work has been synthesized in three parts: (1) Framework for Arctic standards, (2) Regional case studies and (3) Arctic Practice System
WP2: Case studies in Greenland. In Greenland management of natural resources is one of the major challenges in development of sustainable communities. Focus has been on how the community-based monitoring (CBM) systems are used and how guidelines and standard for CBMs are developing. Workshops and dialogue meetings have been organised with participation from national and regional authorities, local fishers and hunters, research groups and international organisations. The work has also included use of Bayesian Belief Network model, where local knowledge is combined with scientific knowledge to support management of halibut fisheries. A software tool, SurBayes, was developed and used to run the BBN model to produce scenarios of future livelihood for fishers and hunters. This information is important for industries and communities that are dependent on exploiting wildlife resources.
WP3: Case studies in Svalbard. The case study has organized several meetings and workshops with Longyearbyen Local Council, the Governor of Svalbard, tourist operators, shipping companies and other actors to identify standards, practice and guidelines for various activities that are important in Svalbard. By involving the public, new data can be collected from a wider area, results shared more effectively through society, and environmental issues better understood. The tourist operators have strong focus on developing sustainable tourism, which means that the quality in all parts of the industry should be improved and that the value creation for the society should increase. The Arctic Safety Center at UNIS plays a central role in providing training, education and research within safety, because increased human activities in the region will require more knowledge about different safey aspects in the Polar regions.
WP4: Case studies in Russia. In this study, the goal was to further develop ‘good’ practices for CBM work and promote the rights of Arctic Indigenous and local communities. The coordination of the work was undertaken by the Center for Support of Indigenous Peoples of the North (CSIPN). The project activities were implemented in two regions: in the north-west of the country, in the Murmansk region (Kola Peninsula) and in the east – in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).
WP5: Case studies in USA. The case study was focused on the Indigenous communities in Alaska and how they use CBM to support fishing, hunting and travelling in the region. Permafrost thaw, leading to coastal erosion flooding are major threats to communities all around Alaska, but mostly in the coastal regions.
WP6: Arctic Practice System. The main objective was to study requirements and propose a design for an Arctic Practices System (APS): a digital system to promote the sharing of methodological knowledge about living, working, researching, and sustainably managing the Arctic and its resources. Such a system would address challenges such as fragmented and limited access to Arctic practices, by providing an integrative platform for discovery, access, and collaboration. Many of the user groups have their own information systems that they want to develop further or they plan to design new systems. An APS should therefore not replace existing systems, but rather be connected to them in a federated way. From the case studies, a number of user profiles were identified, where requirements for an APS were discussed. A design document for an APS was prepared, describing how an APS can be implemented. The realization of an APS would be a goal for a follow-up project.
WP7: Synthesis, requirements and recommendations. The conclusions of the work has been synthesized in three parts: (1) Framework for Arctic standards, (2) Regional case studies and (3) Arctic Practice System
The conclusions consist of three parts:
(1) Framework for Arctic standards:
Standards can act as common language and practices among stakeholders when aiming to share and use observing systems, data, ensure safety, and many other activities in the Arctic. In the Arctic there are many knowledge systems, research disciplines, Indigenous peoples, other residents, and operational activities. All of these elements need to be considered as part of any standardization effort. In CAPARDUS we have used a graph database based on a RDF Model as a practical method for documenting and analysing the arctic standards ecosystem.
(2) Regional case studies
The results from the regional case studies from Greenland Svalbard, Russia and Alaska can be summarized in four points:
• Practices, guidelines and standards have been identified explored and in each case study. Documentation and sharing of practices between different actors and communities is key to sustainable development.
• Community-based monitoring (CBM) and citizen science (CS) activities have been promoted and supported. These activities require that local communities are fully engaged, meaning that co-creating of knowledge can take place.
• A Bayesian Belief Network model was demonstrated for fisheries management in Greenland. This model, which was implemented in the SurBayes software tool, can be applied to similar socio-ecological topics in other regions
• Requirements for an Arctic Practice System to serve different communities and user groups have been identified, feeding into the design of an APS (see point 3)
Common for all was the need to build new knowledge to adapt to climate change and economic development in the Arctic, e.g tourism, exploitation of renewable and non-renewable resources, and the new geopolitical situation.
(3) Arctic Practice System
The development of an APS is intended to address the lack of exchange and integration of practices and, more generally, knowledge between different communities and sectors in the Arctic. The proposed APS would serve as a platform for sharing and accessing diverse Arctic practices across disciplines and cultures. In conclusion , the APS can help to promote sustainable development in the Arctic.
(1) Framework for Arctic standards:
Standards can act as common language and practices among stakeholders when aiming to share and use observing systems, data, ensure safety, and many other activities in the Arctic. In the Arctic there are many knowledge systems, research disciplines, Indigenous peoples, other residents, and operational activities. All of these elements need to be considered as part of any standardization effort. In CAPARDUS we have used a graph database based on a RDF Model as a practical method for documenting and analysing the arctic standards ecosystem.
(2) Regional case studies
The results from the regional case studies from Greenland Svalbard, Russia and Alaska can be summarized in four points:
• Practices, guidelines and standards have been identified explored and in each case study. Documentation and sharing of practices between different actors and communities is key to sustainable development.
• Community-based monitoring (CBM) and citizen science (CS) activities have been promoted and supported. These activities require that local communities are fully engaged, meaning that co-creating of knowledge can take place.
• A Bayesian Belief Network model was demonstrated for fisheries management in Greenland. This model, which was implemented in the SurBayes software tool, can be applied to similar socio-ecological topics in other regions
• Requirements for an Arctic Practice System to serve different communities and user groups have been identified, feeding into the design of an APS (see point 3)
Common for all was the need to build new knowledge to adapt to climate change and economic development in the Arctic, e.g tourism, exploitation of renewable and non-renewable resources, and the new geopolitical situation.
(3) Arctic Practice System
The development of an APS is intended to address the lack of exchange and integration of practices and, more generally, knowledge between different communities and sectors in the Arctic. The proposed APS would serve as a platform for sharing and accessing diverse Arctic practices across disciplines and cultures. In conclusion , the APS can help to promote sustainable development in the Arctic.