NEWS During the 4-6th of September SEARCH (Study of Arctic Environmental Change) held the conference Arctic Futures 2050 at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington DC, USA. Arcum participated with a poster and was represented on site by Oscar Sedholm.
The overarching theme of the conference was to connect scientists, policymakers and indigenous representatives to discuss the rapid climate change which can be seen in the Arctic, it's possible consequences and how scientists can work with traditional knowledge and assists policymakers.
Arcum participated with a poster under the theme of cooperating with local communities and stakeholders, which was one of 170 select posters. Arcum's poster gave particular note to Mistra Arctic Sustainable Development (MASD), citizen sciences which is being conducted under the Climate Impact Research Centre (CIRC) as well as the broad collaboration with Sami representatives that is being led by our affiliated researchers at the Centre for Sami Research Vaartoe. At the conference where also representatives of several of the Arctic Five universities, as well as representatives from indigenous peoples in, first and foremost, Alaska and Greenland.
The conference had presentations and panel discussions on climate models, whale fishing, changing ice coverage, the history of the climate, traditional knowledge and indigenous experiences, fishing in the Barents Sea, risk analysis, policymaking, ecosystem changes on both land and in water, education, social implications of climate change and ways to proceed forwards.
- Many scientists expressed frustration over how policymakers in the US actively works against climate scientists, and the indigenous representatives experienced that they had a tough time getting their voices heard both about their immediate crises' as well as their experiences through traditional knowledge. In many ways this conference was the first step for many new collaborations, and I believe that it is important for Arcum to show up in these events. We can contribute with a lot of knowledge about collaboration forms and the width of Arctic questions, says Oscar Sedholm.
Find poster gallery online, recorded panel discussions and more information on the event's homepage.
Oscar Sedholm, Arcum, alongside Colleen Iversen, senior scientist at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The conference contributed to many new contacts across borders and different institutions.
Image Oscar Sedholm