What will the Arctic look like in 2050?

Climate change. Pollution. Less ice. Exploitation of natural resources. Lack of understanding. Indifference. There was no shortage of potential challenges when the students in the Arctic Future Pathfinders course tried to envision what the Arctic might look like in 2050. But how do we address these challenges? And who needs to come together to find solutions?

Several students aboard the Statsraad Lehmkuhl emphasized that research must be conducted in consultation with the local population of the area in question. The same applies to decisions being made. One example is the Northwest Passage, where students suggested that regulations could be implemented to allow only non-polluting vessels to navigate through.

"Since the Northwest Passage could become an important trade route, such regulations could be used to pressure states to work harder to prevent pollution," says Bálint Timári, a student at UiT.

The Importance of Communication

The workshop was an essential part of the course Arctic Future Pathfinders, where the point is to work holisticly with different topics connected to the Arctic. The course is coordinated by Melania Borit and Timo Szczepanska, both from the research group CRAFT at UiT.

During the two-hour workshop, the students addressed topics such as climate, polar bears, melting ice, and governance. For polar bears, they hope for a commitment to protect the species so that populations can be maintained and Indigenous peoples can continue traditional hunting practices.

"Additionally, research findings must be communicated back to the local communities," says Matthew Roy, a master’s student in biology at Université Laval in Canada.

Another point raised was the importance of adhering to the so-called "fair" and "care" principles in all research, ensuring a balance between economic and environmental considerations. 

Man trenger ulike fagfelt

Susanna Nemeth Winther, a master’s student at UiT, found the future-focused workshop to be a valuable exercise.

"It’s an exciting way to think, where we have to try to imagine the future from multiple perspectives. We need to involve different disciplines to find solutions and envision which stakeholders should be involved, instead of just doing things the way we’ve always done them," says Winther.

PhD candidate Aliette Chenal from Université de Toulouse shared that she is not used to thinking so abstractly.

"It’s difficult to imagine what the Arctic will be like in 2050. But it’s helpful to talk to people who study fields different from mine and, in that way, understand other aspects," says Chenal.

"We need to believe in something"

Lisell Øyjordet, a master’s student at UiT, believes it’s important to set goals for where we want to go.

"That way, we have a clearer path forward instead of wandering blindly. This allows us to act in time. We need to think interdisciplinarily and bring people together across fields," says Øyjordet.

Winther agrees:

"Yes, we have to believe that we can make a difference. Otherwise, it will be bleak."