17 May 2016 - 19 May 2016
Nuuk, Greenland

Arctic Circle Greenland Forum

The Arctic Circle Greenland Forum is held in Nuuk, Greenland 17-19 May 2016 organized in cooperation with Naalakkersuisut (the Government of Greenland).The Forum focuses on economic development for the people of the Arctic.

Courtesy of arcticcircle.org

Courtesy of arcticcircle.org

The Arctic Circle is renown for the Arctic Circle Assembly hosted and organized annually in Reykjavík, Iceland. The annual program is designed in collaboration with partnering organizations, with Honorary Board lead by President Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson of Iceland.

The Arctic Circle also organizes four forums, in Greenland, Quebec, Singapore and Alaska.

The Greenland Forum comprises of several panel discussions on the empowerment of indigenous peoples across the Arctic, the future of Arctic business (living resources, tourism, transport, shipping, natural resources-industries, involvement of the local communities – securing benefits to communities from new industrial activities, Arctic investment opportunities, heath and well-being in the Arctic.

Professor Dr. Paul Berkman, Scientific Director of the IIASA Arctic Futures Initiative, was invited to take part in panel “Looking at the Arctic from the Outside – Prospects and Opportunities” along with representatives from, for example, Singapore and Korea.


Abstract of Prof. Berkman’s presentation Building Common Interests in the Arctic Ocean


There is urgency moving from research into investment to implement sustainable development in the Arctic Ocean. With appearance of the Arctic Business Council in 2012, Arctic Economic Council in 2015, Arctic Investment Protocol in 2016 and other investment initiatives underway – the challenge now is to reveal options that contribute to informed decision-making about sustainability in the Arctic Ocean. With immediacy, these decisions will involve sustainable infrastructure development, combining fixed, mobile and other built assets (including communications, research, observing and information systems) that involve financial investment along with technology plus regulatory, policy, and other governance mechanisms (including insurance).

However, the foundation for sustainability in the Arctic Ocean is stability, promoting cooperation and preventing conflict in the region. Operationally, such stability involves balancing national interests and common interests. The first step, however, is to build common interests.

This presentation will consider a pathway to build common interests in the Arctic Ocean in an inclusive manner, utilizing the Arctic high seas as a special region that is unambiguously beyond sovereign jurisdictions in the Arctic Ocean


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Last edited: 26 June 2019

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