“We need to change the perception of the Arctic“

The Arctic Circle Assembly in Reykjavik in October 2000 brought together people from 70 countries to discuss issues that are highly topical in Norrbotten: climate, infrastructure, mining developments, population supply, business development, housing, energy, hydrogen, space and much more. Region Norrbotten and the North Sweden Green Deal project were on site to listen, learn and participate in the conversations.

Conference participants included heads of government, ministers, members of parliament, researchers, entrepreneurs, indigenous peoples and civil servants. Here is a selection of voices, from Alaska to Finland.

– Climate change is happening at a much faster pace here in the Arctic. Glaciers in Iceland are shrinking by 40-50 percent even if the Paris Agreement holds. But now we are seeing a backlash in climate policy. Political forces that say we should move more slowly, when we need to see acceleration, said Prime Minister of Iceland Katrin Jakobsdottir in his opening speech.

Icelandic Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir called for increased pace in the work against the climate threat.

Brittany Smart, assistant to the mayor of Fairbanks, Alaska:

– The power is in a place that doesn’t understand the Arctic, doesn’t understand what it takes for us to thrive in our home. Building infrastructure is necessary but what is often forgotten is that it needs to be resilient and maintained. With increasing climate change, we now have floods, we now experience rain in the winter. It can damage trees that fall on power lines or buildings.

Erkki Parkkinen, Mayor Salla Municipality, Finland:

– What is the biggest challenge? The roads. We have many villages, lack of public transport, everyone needs their own car and our city does not have enough funding for roads. Climate change is happening faster here, but we still have many dirt roads, when it rains they become very bad. But because of the geopolitical situation, we are now in NATO. The defense forces need these roads - that's how we will get funding.

“Culture and innovation“

Elin Dahlseng Eide, chairwoman of Nordland County Municipality in Norway:

– Nordland has renewable energy, green industries. In the near future, we will welcome new industries. But people don't just need something to live on, they need something to live for. That's why Bodö is the EU's Capital of Culture next year. We invite you to share cultural experiences. We need culture and innovative thinking in today's Arctic. But we also need an action plan for the social integration of young people in Nordland. We must include Arctic youth in democratic development.

Region Norrbotten representatives John Kostet (left) and Mia Ahlstrand (right) had the opportunity to talk about future collaborations with Elin Dahlseng Eide (center), Nordland County Municipality. Photo: Zdenek Dvorak.

Maja Wolland Blomberg, research assistant at the High North center, Norway:

– We have diversity, battery factories, things going on. But we have some image-building to do, we need to change the perception of the Arctic. We can attract people from other parts of the world, the Arctic is really cool. But how do we talk about it? A little change in language can help. If we just say we are short of people, people will think of us as a place where no one wants to live.

Carina Sammeli, Chairwoman of the Municipal Board, Luleå:

– We are trying to get workers from other parts of Europe. We were down to the Netherlands, it's crowded, they want to move. We have people moving in from other parts of the world. They often have someone with them who can't get a job because they don't speak Swedish. We talk to employers and say, maybe you can accept someone in the office who speaks English? We start networks for people to help them get a job.

Carina Sammeli, chairwoman of the Luleå municipal board, was hired as a speaker at four seminars during the Arctic Circle Assembly.

Karen Hanghöj, British geological survey:

– Critical minerals are critical because they are important to us and because there is a shortage of supply. Almost everything is relevant to the new technology we need, we will need 700 percent more than today. We need to mine them and be honest about it. We need to have real conversations about how to do it and set good standards for it. The issue is complex and we need to talk about it.

Dan Vandal, Minister of State, Canada:

– Rare earths are part of Canada's future. Renewable resources, green energy – it comes from rare earths. It's important that we work together with industries and indigenous peoples who live in the area. It's important that indigenous peoples lead these projects. It's a significant mindset shift for Canada and the only way forward.

Christi Bell, CEO of the Business Enterprise Institute, University of Alaska:

– Housing is a huge problem in Alaska. The military has deployed a large contingent of F-35s and doesn't have enough housing for the families they've moved up there. One solution is public-private partnerships to bring down housing costs, I've seen it done successfully in Fairbanks.

The large Harpa concert hall in Reykjavik could accommodate up to ten seminars at a time, a total of hundreds of program items, as well as both formal and informal meetings.

Mathias Albert, Professor of Political Science, University of Bielefeld, Germany:

– The vast majority of people have seen a polar bear on an ice floe at some point, that’s what they know about the Arctic. The Arctic is far away and not part of their daily lives. How do we expand this bubble or how do we burst it? How do you frame the Arctic as a global concern, as part of the story of the future of planet Earth, our common destiny, our common threats? The question now is a need to build a narrative of a shared better future, but the problem is – which narrative?

“How do we leverage ideas about sustainability?”

Natalia Sanchez-Querubin, Professor New Media and Digital Culture, University of Amsterdam:

– Some are already imagining alternative ways of living. We can easily imagine the end of the world, it’s more challenging to do the opposite. Imagine sitting and watching the sunset, you’re eating locally produced food, you don’t have much but you’re not worried about money. It’s easy to call it escapism, a romanticized image of how to live a more sustainable life. How do we harness these ideas of sustainability to help people imagine something that isn’t the end of the world? When people dream of a different future, where do they go?

Lisa Murkowski, Senator Alaska, USA:

– The United States has increased its engagement in the Arctic. Now we must build on the progress we have made. We must focus on free trade, expand visa eligibility, facilitate business and visitation. Our commitment will continue, our laws are solid, our strategies are in place. International cooperation is at the heart of America’s vision for the Arctic.

Lisa Murkowski, Alaska's Republican senator, spoke about how the climate threat is affecting the residents of her state.

Asthildur Sturludottir, Akureyri Municipality, Iceland:

– Children are not only the future but also the present. We as leaders must have a meaningful dialogue and not just every four years. What do young people need, what do they want? We have a youth council that meets regularly with municipal staff. There is a place for young people between 16 and 25. Music schools and drama schools, 35 sports clubs, swimming pools and many other sports facilities.

Daniel Smirat, Chairman of the Luleå City Council:

– Two years ago we conducted a survey with people between 18-35 who have just moved in, just left or lived here for ten years. Conclusion: The most important aspects are safety in the local area. Then comes equality, openness, positive development of the area. Only after that come interesting jobs and good communication. Before, I would have said jobs are the most important thing. They love the nature in Luleå, loved the university and the education in Luleå. So ask your young people what is important to them and start working on that.

“Exporting our young people for decades“

Kari-Anne Opsal, municipal councilor Harstad:

– We are trying to attract young people and keep our young people because we have been exporting them for decades and decades. It is seen as a success for the parents if they move. Young people want infrastructure and direct flights. We need public transport and housing and a modern society.

Avaaraq Olsen, Mayor of Semersooq, Greenland:

– The lack of adequate infrastructure limits access to education and economic opportunities. We need to invest in robust telecommunications infrastructure that will help residents access distance learning and healthcare. We are experiencing a loss of all communication. No phone or internet connection. This can last for days. People cannot use their credit cards and reach emergency services. The boat engine can break down out at sea and you cannot get help. It can happen to anyone at any time. We need to address this problem as a society.

Avaaraq Olsen, mayor of Semersooq, spoke about the inadequate infrastructure in many places in Greenland and how it affects everyday life.

Lisa Murkowski, Senator Alaska, USA:

– Development in Alaska is dividing the indigenous people who live there. Some believe in economic development. Others fear it. There are those who want the economy that comes from jobs and those who don't want to see any impact whatsoever. This is the challenge for Alaska. Listening to those who are there is the most important thing.

Louise Calais, Sweden's Ambassador for Arctic Affairs:

– There is a misunderstanding that the Arctic can be taken care of, there is a race for resources. The stability we have enjoyed did not just happen, it is based on decisions by the Arctic countries within the framework of international law. This framework remains intact. The economic zones are not questioned but respected.

Sweden's Arctic ambassador Louise Calais (centre), was joined on stage by, among others, her Finnish colleague Petteri Vuorimäki.

Petteri Vuorimäki, Arctic Ambassador for Finland:
– I see two risks, one is the militarization of the Arctic, the other is the militarization of our mindset. That we stop seeing everything that exists outside of militarization. When we work with Arctic security, we must maintain the broader perspective.

“Hydrogen is the key“

Carina Sammeli, Chairwoman of the Luleå Municipal Board:

– To make hydrogen you need energy and clean water, we have plenty of that. Hydrogen is the key to the industrial transition and we are working on the pipes and the regulations. We are not interested in transporting hydrogen to, for example, Germany. Companies owned outside the Arctic want us to export it, but if they want to make hydrogen in our region they have to use it here, otherwise we will not sell the land to them.

Mads Qvist Frederiksen, CEO, Arctic Economic Council, Norway:

– Let me take you to Berlevåg, Norway. The town was burned down in 1945. The locals rebuilt the town, the fishing industry came there. Then the fishing companies left and the people started moving. The residents asked themselves: “What do we have that no one can take away from us? We have constant wind!” Now they were down to 700 inhabitants and they built the Raggovida wind farm. This provides electric heating, they built a swimming pool, but the wind farm can provide power to 20 houses. The cables to the south are super narrow so they can’t export. They are sitting on electricity for 000 homes. Then they read about this new thing called hydrogen. They are now building a hydrogen plant as a pilot project with EU funds. It will provide surplus heat for fish farms and vertical vegetable farms. They are now hoping that people from all over the world will come to Berlevåg and work in the green transition. So wind power is linked to housing, food security and demographics.

Compiled by: Sara Stylbäck Vesa
Photos: Arctic Circle Assembly unless otherwise noted.

The North Sweden Green Deal is an initiative to realize a sustainable societal transition, in the wake of the new industrial establishments.

The project is run by Region Norrbotten and Region Västerbotten together with a number of other actors. It is financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).