Pax Nordica 2016 – What's happening to Arctic security?

Adding to the pressure, the steady stream of immigrants is also challenging social cohesion in many countries. Great powers are redefining their geopolitical interests. Looking at the map, Northern Europe and the Arctic appear remote from the most burning problems. In reality, however, the map lies. If anything, the paths taken in the North are closely linked with the problems and conflicts that arise in other parts of the World.

Which are the crucial Northern European security policy conflicts at present? Is the Arctic an area of ease and friendly coexistence between peoples and states, or is a change underway? In that case, what are the most evident motives behind such a development?

Specific topics that will be covered this year:

• Can geopolitics contribute to our understanding of Arctic security?
• Will access to natural resources increase in the competition between countries?
• Which view do the Swedish Armed Forces stake on the Arctic?
• What are Russia's interest in the Arctic?
• Which attitudes are characteristic among the Nordic countries?

Welcome to Pax Nordica 2016

What is happening to Arctic security? We are looking forward to an afternoon with knowledgeable lecturers, vivid discussions and fruitful debate. Presentations are held in Swedish or English, please see programme for more information.

Programme – Thursday 21 April 2016

Location: Humanities Building, Lecture Hall E
Moderator: Alf Molin, Allmänna Försvarsföreningen in Västerbotten

13:00 Pro-Vice-Chancellor Anders Fällström opens Pax Nordica 2016 (in Swedish)

13:10–13:35 PhD Lize-Marie van der Watt, Arcum, Umeå University:
Geopolitics as a key to understanding the Arctic (in English)

13:35–13:55 Prof.em. Marian Radetzki, Luleå University of Technology:
Arctic energy and minerals – impressive resource base but bleak prospects (in Swedish)

14:00–14:25 Counter admiral Jonas Haggren, the Swedish Armed Forces:
Försvarsmaktens syn på närområdet och förhållningssätt till den arktiska regionen / The Swedish Armed Forces' outlook on the neighbouring region and the attitude towards the Arctic (in Swedish)

14:25–14:45 Coffee break

14:45–15:05 PhD Nadezhda Filimonova, St. Petersburg University:
Russia's interests in the Arctic (in English)

15:10–15:30 Researcher Louise Simonsson, Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI): De nordiska länderna och den arktiska säkerheten / The Nordic countries and the Arctic security (in Swedish)

15:35–16:15 Panel debate with moderator Niklas Eklund (in Swedish and English)

16:15– Mingling (Allmänna Försvarsföreningen)