Arctic Initiative

As the two-year anniversary of the Russia’s invasion of Ukraine approaches, join us for a wide-ranging conversation with the founders of the humanitarian organization Assist Ukraine, the Arctic-biologist-turned-activist Olga Shpak and the alpinist and conservationist Art Davidson. The panel will cover the war’s impact on Arctic science, the current situation on the ground in Ukraine, the process of providing aid to front-line defenders, and more.

Belfer Young Leader Fellow Vladyslav Wallace will moderate. Arctic Initiative Senior Fellow Margaret Williams will provide introductory remarks. Q&A to follow. No RSVP required. Seating is on a first come, first served basis. Refreshments will be provided.

Sponsors: The Harvard Kennedy School Ukraine Caucus and the Belfer Center's Arctic Initiative

Join the Arctic Initiative team for Arctic Climate Week at the Harvard Kennedy School! The week will feature events dedicated to understanding the climate impacts in the Arctic and their global implications. Register for Arctic Climate week events here. 

Join the Arctic Initiative at Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center and the Polar Institute at the Woodrow Wilson Center for an engaging Earth Day dialogue with Iceland's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gudlaugur Thór Thórdarson, about  Iceland’s Chairmanship of the Arctic Council on what is next. 

As climate change rapidly transforms the Arctic, the ocean at its center becomes a point of focus: melting sea ice enables increased marine traffic; ice-dependent species are migrating or dying; fisheries shift and with them economies of subsistence. These changes can mean risk or opportunity for different stakeholders.

This study group will use Arctic Ocean change as a case study to outline the environmental policy process and build participants understanding of how to effectively engage in the climate and oceans policy space. 

To sign-up, please complete this form by Monday, March 8, 2021: https://forms.gle/KYn6nwxr4zq8vnQ98

Over the past five days over thirty Indigenous Youth from around the circumpolar Arctic have worked together, learned together, and innovated together to come up with solutions to challenges facing their communities. Join us to see the final presentations of a few of these young leaders.

Join for a brief history of the founding of this collaboration, which began through the work of the late Harvard Professor, James J. McCarthy. Followed by Arctic Innovation presentations by selected Indigenous Youth participants, who will showcase their solutions for their communities. 

As the Polar/Arctic Sea Ice recedes, the Arctic is increasingly becoming an arena for great power competition: China is Advancing its Polar Silk Road,” while Russia continues to pursue legal, military and commercial avenues to exploit the geostrategic advantages Arctic waters could offer it in the future. Where for decades the Arctic was described as “high north, low tension,” these realities are forcing a shift in strategic thinking within NATO, particularly among member states adjacent to the Arctic and party to multilateral governance structures in the North, like the Arctic Council, whose parameters don’t address military security questions. Other, non-Arctic actors, including Singapore, Japan and the European Union, alongside key individual members states have also developed their own strategies on the Arctic. In this seminar with former U.S Ambassadors Paula Dobriansky (FDP Senior Fellow), David Balton and former Chair of the Arctic Research Commission and Belfer Center Fellow, Fran Ulmer, we will examine key countries’ economic and national security interests in region; the role of the rule of law in preventing conflict alongside critical questions of governance to balance environmental, economic and security concerns in this expert seminar. 

This event is co-sponsored by the Arctic Initiative.

The Arctic Innovation Lab is a project designed to promote solution-oriented discussions on the changing Arctic region. 

Come hear new ideas for a better Arctic and vote for your favorite one!

Opening remarks by Kenneth A. Howery, U.S. Ambassador to Sweden and Co-Founder of Paypal and the Founders Fund

The world's biggest underground iron ore mine is about to undermine the Swedish city of Kiruna. The answer? Move the city.

Join the Arctic Initiative for a conversation with students from Luleå University and experts from across the globe for a case discussion about sustainable development, consensus building, and how one Arctic city is responding to rapid change.

Apply to be part of this unique case discussion opportunity by Monday, September 28, 2020, so you can be matched with your international team.

A Climate Week Event co-organized by the Woodwell Climate Research Center and the Arctic Initiative

This session focuses on a warming-driven phenomenon—the rapid thawing of Arctic permafrost—that is contributing simultaneously to the most vexing of Arctic warming’s impacts both in the region and around the world. This session will target experts and non-experts who are interested in understanding the science and policy issues at the heart of this widely underestimated facet of the global climate-change challenge.

Register here.

Study Group Leader: Joel Clement, Senior Fellow, Arctic Initiative

The Arctic Knowledge Systems Study Group will explore ways to collaboratively employ indigenous and scientific knowledge to improve resilience in the Arctic. It will consist of 6 sessions in which we will discuss inclusion of indigenous perspectives and how to improve for the future. All sessions will be held on Tuesdays beginning September 15 from 12:00pm - 1:00pm (ET).

Space is limited! To apply to join the study group please email Brittany Janis your resume and 100 words on why you are interested in participating.