The Centre for Arctic Studies at the University of Iceland, the Icelandic Arctic Cooperation Network and the West Nordic Council, in collaboration with the Nordic House, the Icelandic Chairmanship of the Arctic Council and the Arctic Circle, have organized a series of online discussions, taking place in the fall of 2020 and spring of 2021, on key Arctic issues highlighted by the Icelandic Chairmanship of the Arctic Council. The Icelandic Arctic talks build on the work and experience of Icelandic organizations and institutions on issues concerning societies, cooperation, health, and energy in the Arctic.
Icelandic Arctic Talks: Current Challenges and Future Perspectives of Arctic Youth – Rural Areas and LGBTI Communities
PROGRAM
Part 1: Young People in Rural Areas: A West Nordic Perspective
Short welcoming comments: Guðjón S. Brjánsson, Chairman of the West Nordic Council
Opening address: Ásmundur Einar Daðason, Icelandic Minister of Social Affairs and Children
Speakers and panel members:
- Tukumminnguaq Nykjær Olsen, Office and Project Manager at the Inuit Circumpolar Council, Greenland
- Alfa Aradóttir, Director of Prevention and Leisure in the Municipality of Akureyri, Iceland
- Firouz Gaini, Professor in Anthropology, University of the Faroe Islands
Moderator: Sigurður Ólafsson, Secretary General of the West Nordic Council
Part 2: Queer rights in the Arctic
Opening address: Guðmundur Ingi Guðbrandsson, Minister for the Environment and Natural Resources of Iceland
Speakers and panel members:
- Þorbjörg Þorvaldsdóttir, President of Samtökin ’78, Iceland
- Dr. Stephan Dudeck, University of Lapland, Finland/European University at Saint Petersburg, Russia
- Prof. Dr. J. Otto Habeck, University of Hamburg, Germany
- Kyle Shaughnessy, Social Worker and student at Dalhousie University, Canada
- Dr. Alexandria Wilson, Director of Aboriginal Education Research Centre, University of Saskatchewan
Moderator: Takeshi Benjamín Kaji, MSc student, International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics, Lund University, Sweden
Link to the recording: https://livestream.com/accounts/14889744/events/9350345/player?width=640&height=360&enableInfoAndActivity=true&defaultDrawer=&autoPlay=true&mute=false
Icelandic Arctic Talks II - Iceland, an integrated part of the Arctic: ± 50 years
As an island in the North Atlantic, between the cold temperate and Arctic climate zones, Iceland can in many ways be considered a canary in the coalmine for climate change effects. The aim of this discussion is to bring awareness to the diverse Arctic Circle community about the wide-ranging impact climate change has had on Iceland in the last 50 years and to make predictions for changes expected in the next 5 years.
Program:
The Climate – Past climatic changes in Iceland and outlook for the coming century.
– Dr. Halldór Björnsson
The Cryosphere – Mass balance of Icelandic glaciers in the 20th and 21st century.
– Prof. Guðfinna Th. Aðalgeirsdóttir
The Ocean – Large-scale changes and marine ecosystems around Iceland.
– Dr. Hrönn Egilsdóttir.
The Land – Terrestrial ecosystems in Iceland, recent past, the present and predictions of the near future.
– Dr. Starri Heiðmarsson.
The Freshwater – Icelandic freshwater diversity in space and time.
– Prof. Bjarni Kr. Kristófersson.
The Humans – Reflections on Icelanders and Arctic Research in the Anthropocene.
– Dr. Catherine Chambers and Dr. Níels Einarsson.
Rannís – overview of Arctic research in Iceland, including international collaboration and funding opportunities for scientists focusing on the Arctic.
– Egill Níelsson, Senior Advisor The Icelandic Centre for Research.
Icelandic Arctic Talks III: Biotechnology and Innovation
This event focuses on the re-utilization of marine resources in the Arctic with a focus on the concept of “waste to value.” Innovators have found ways to use byproducts of the fishing industry in products that range from advanced biotechnology to nutrition, clothing and cosmetics. Sea resources are crucial in the Arctic, and tissues such as fins, heads, skin and viscera have historically been discarded back into the sea. Companies have shown that such waste could be re-used to produce innovative, competitive, and sustainable products.
The discussion brings together representatives of the private industry sector, policymakers, academia, and non-governmental organizations to jointly discuss possibilities, innovative ideas, best practices in re-using sea-waste for innovative, competitive, and sustainable products. The event highlights also the appeal of the waste-to-value model for investors seeking environmentally sustainable ventures and for policymakers seeking to promote laws and regulations that promote the reuse of fishing byproducts.
Programme
– Opening remarks by H.E. Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson
– Opening remarks by Þórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörð Gylfadóttir, Minister of Tourism, Industry and Innovation
Discussants:
– Fertram Sigurjónsson, CEO, Kerecis
– Mads Qvist Frederiksen, Director, Arctic Economic Council
– Rannveig Björnsdottir, Docent, University of Akureyri
– Þór Sigfússon, Founder, The Ocean Cluster
Moderator: Halla Hrund Logadóttir, Adjunct Lecturer, Harvard Kennedy School, Co-Founder and Director, Arctic Initiative.
Link to the recording: https://fb.watch/4U11YMTyFF/