Shaping the future of Arctic industries: a new policy brief from ArcticHubs

How do we create a sustainable Arctic where both traditional livelihoods and new economic opportunities can coexist and thrive? The ArcticHubs project, as part of its ongoing work, has explored this question deeply, resulting in a new policy brief that offers key insights and recommendations for Arctic stakeholders. The policy brief, Desired Futures for Arctic Industries, is the outcome of extensive futures studies conducted in partnership with local and indigenous …

Social Licence to Operate (SLO): introducing the SLO guide for sustainable Arctic industries

In the Arctic, balancing economic growth with environmental sustainability and community needs is crucial for achieving long-term success. The latest ArcticHubs report introduces a comprehensive Handbook for Social Licence to Operate (SLO) in Arctic Industries, which aims to support sustainable Arctic industries in earning the trust and acceptance of local communities—an essential factor for successful operations in these fragile environments. The concept of Social Licence to Operate (SLO) goes beyond …

Exploring future scenarios for land use and livelihood: insights from Inari Arctic hub

Inari, the municipality with the largest land area in Finland, grapples with intricate issues related to land use and livelihood management. Despite its sparse population, Inari holds significant importance as a central location for the vibrant indigenous Sámi culture in Finland. The recent ArcticHubs meeting held in Inari shed light on the complex interplay between tourism, reindeer herding, and the preservation of Sámi culture. This blog post seeks to provide …

Coexistence and Innovation around Varangerfjord Hub: new responses to Arctic challenges

The Varangerfjord hub, adjacent to the Norway-Russia-Finland tri-border, at first glance may appear as a remote and unassuming region on the fringes of the European Arctic. However, the recent seminar coordinated by ArcticHubs partner NOFIMA shed further light on the region’s vibrant ecosystem of adaptation and innovation amidst increasing competition for resources and livelihood spaces across the fjord area. With contributions from ArcticHubs researchers, community stakeholders, local businesses, and entrepreneurs, …

ArcticHubs Consortium Partners set to host next General Assembly in Alagna Valsesia, Italy in September 2023

The ArcticHubs Consortium, comprised of a group of international partners, is eagerly preparing for its upcoming General Assembly, scheduled to take place in Alagna Valsesia, Italy, in September 2023. The host of this significant event will be the University of Turin, one of the prominent members of the project Consortium. This gathering marks an important milestone for the Consortium as it brings together partner organisations and hub leaders in one …

ArcticHubs and NOFIMA team at aquaculture hub: field visit to Ringvassøya island

A snapshot of some of the activities conducted by the ArcticHubs NOFIMA research team in Ringvassøya island and Tromsø. After several productive workshop days indoors at the NOFIMA offices in Tromsø last January, ArcticHubs researchers maintained their tradition of always embracing a hub field visit to further stimulate ideas and an understanding of the multi land and sea use realities in the Arctic region today. The destination this time was to the island …

Finding a blend and a balance across disciplines, research tools, and livelihood sectors: ArcticHubs annual meeting 2022

ArcticHubs annual meeting , 21-24 September 2022 – Magma UNESCO Global Geopark One of the most ambitious features of the ArcticHubs project has been to draw together research across the diverse, but often interwoven livelihood sectors that are transforming lives and communities throughout the European Arctic. In order to achieve this aim, the project is having to balance inputs from an array of natural and social science disciplines. In turn, …

Interview with Roy Robertsen, NOFIMA senior researcher at Varangerfjord Hub

Dr. Roy Robertsen is a senior scientist for one of the ArcticHubs’ partner organisations, NOFIMA; he is specialised in seafood and aquaculture research, fish farming research and development, and environment sustainability. Within the project, he is researching the trends and industrial development of fish farms around the hub of Varangerfjord (Norway), its environmental sustainability and the ripple effects of new sea-related industries on fish, sea, costs and people. In this …

Varangerfjord: co-creating in a complex hub. Seminar event May 2022

Perched at the far northern tip of mainland Europe as the easternmost fjord in Norway, the Varangerfjord region is no stranger to thinking about adaptations and remaining resilient to complex and shifting circumstances. It was a natural choice for the region to become one of the focal points for the ArcticHubs research team from project partner, NOFIMA, as they are able to draw upon extensive experiences of working with and …

The community around the project – ArcticHubs finally face-to-face

Lining up with LUKE on the Arctic circle The start of the ArcticHubs project coincided with pandemic lockdown, which meant that face to face meetings were impossible during the project’s first year. Now the coordination team at LUKE in Rovaniemi, Finland, has just finished hosting a fast-moving but highly productive few days where, for the first time since the launch, the project teams have converged as one. For three days …