Activities of the Icelandic Arctic Cooperation Network

Objective 

To address the paucity and inconsistencies of gender and disaggregated data in the Arctic region. 

Context and focal areas  

During the development of the report on Gender Equality in the Arctic, authors of most chapters identified the paucity of data and the challenges this brings for analysis and comparisons. In the Migration and Mobility chapter, the lack of data that coupled migration, the Arctic, and gender is particularly problematic. Further, too few studies are grounded in feminist, masculinity, intersectional, LGBTQIA2S+, and Indigenous gender perspectives. The chapter on Gender and Environment points to multiple issues with gendered data and emphasises how environment-related gender-disaggregated data is crucial for providing decision makers with the knowledge and capacity to develop well informed policies. They also remind us that gender statistics are more than data disaggregated by sex but rather are data reflecting differences and inequalities in the situation of women and men. The chapter on Empowerment and Fate Control reveals that it is critical to point out that gender equality analysis and indicators suffer from severe data limitations. This is perpetuated by standardised and stereotypical reporting of gender data. They suggest developing gender indicators and indexes to capture gender equality and empowerment processes across all sectors and at all levels of politics and government, economy, and civil society. The chapter on Indigeneity, Gender, Violence, and Reconciliation in the Arctic identifies the challenges with gauging social and economic inequalities, levels of gender violence, and impacts from processes of colonisation.  

This lack of data and persistent gaps in data availability, in addition to a lack of protocols for sharing data, has been flagged in previous reports, such as in the Arctic Human Development Reports and the Arctic Social Indicators reports. This continued lack of gendered and intersectional data, including specific data on Indigenous populations and LGBTQIA2S+, severely impedes efforts to adequately understand the dynamics of gender across the Arctic. Consistent and comparable data is the very foundation for understanding realities and inequalities across regions, countries, sectors, genders, and peoples.  

Outcomes 

• A summary report of the workshop 
• A desktop study on existing data and challenges to gender and sex disaggregated data in the Arctic region. Focus would on one hand be on existing gender / sex / ethnically disaggregated data and – based on that – data needed to fill in existing gaps. Additionally, major challenges to the collection of additional data will be identified.  

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More information: https://arcticgenderequality.network/phase-4

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IACN organized and participated in several sessions during the Arctic Circle Assembly 2022.

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Session 1: How changes in Cryosphere and Freshwater affect Iceland Energy production and Tourism  

The 15th Polar Law Symposium (PLS) was held in Reykjavík, Iceland, 12-14 October 2022. The Polar Law Institute and the Center for Arctic Studies at the University of Iceland will be co-hosting the Symposium in partnership with the Arctic Circle. 

An advisory committee is composed of Gudmundur Alfredsson (Stefansson Arctic Institute), Pia Hansson (University of Iceland), Julia Jabour (University of Tasmania), Timo Koivurova (University of Lapland) Akiho Shihata (University of Kobe), and Embla Eir Oddsdottir (Icelandic Arctic Cooperation Network). Jonathan Wood, Symposium Manager and PhD fellow at the University of Iceland and MA Polar Law candidate at the University of Akureyri will be heading a planning committee with the members currently consisting of Federica Scarpa, (Icelandic Arctic Cooperation Network – IACN) and Snæfríður Grímsdóttir (Centre for Arctic Studies).

More information: https://www.polarlaw.is/en/polar-law-symposium

Women make up over half of the world population, yet they are considerably under-represented in diplomacy worldwide. Gendered analysis of international relations and diplomacy is too often considered secondary, resulting in lack of data and invisibility of gender issues in political, economic and social decision-making spheres Gender in Geopolitics Institute]. Despite considerable improvements over the last few decades in terms of Gender Equality policies and Gender Equality instruments, a general lack of implementation continues to exclude women from the same opportunities offered to men. The UN Women reports that between 1992 and 2019, women were, on average, just 13% of negotiators, 6% of mediators, and 6% of signatories in major peace processes worldwide [UN Women: [Facts and figures: Women, peace, and security, 2021]. The same report highlights that none of the ceasefire agreements reached between 2018-2020 included gender provisions or clauses prohibiting sexual violence.   

Against this background, the UN Department of Social Affairs stresses that gender equality in all fields of society is not only a human right, but paramount for achieving security, prosperity, and sustainable development. Specifically for the field of diplomacy a growing body of evidence demonstrates that women play an essential role in maintaining stability and democracy worldwide, that is why international fora for cooperation increasingly engage in more or less structured gender equality processes, aimed at improving the gender balance within their framework. [further, according to UN statistics, when women participate in the peace-making process, the resulting agreement is 35% more likely to last at least 15 years].  

The panelists in this session will discuss why conducting a gendered analysis of diplomacy and international cooperation is important; the benefits of advancing gender equality and better gender balanced participation in foreign affairs.  

Moderator:  

Embla Eir Oddsdóttir, Director, Icelandic Arctic Cooperation Network and project leader “Gender Equality in the Arctic”.  

Speakers: 

- Ph.d. student, Sara Olsvig, she was chairman of the Inuit Ataqatigiit 2014-2018 and a member of Parliament from 2011-2015, Greenlands Minister of Social Affairs, Family, Gender Equality and Justice in 2014.  

- Head of Representation and long-term participant in permanent forum and reports to CEDAW, Tove Søvndahl Gant 

- Geir Oddson, Head of Division Climate, Natural Resources and Environment at Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Iceland  

- Atli Már Sigurðsson, Counsellor, Permanent Delegation of Iceland to NATO 

- Qivioq Løvstrøm, Master's degree in Culture and Social History, Chairwoman and member of the Executive Committee (Greenland’s Council for Human Rights)  

- Vivi Noahsen, Master's degree in Culture and Social History  

With this workshop, we hope to foster exchange of expertise, networking, and future collaboration opportunities between the scientific communities of Greenland and Iceland. The workshop will be an exploratory platform that presents research priorities in Greenland and Iceland with a discussion on the possibilities for synergies and collaboration.

The workshop will be focused around three thematic sessions:

1. Climate change and sustainable development;
2. Fisheries and the blue economy; 
3. Geopolitics and security policy studies, and facilitate a dialogue on institutional cooperation.

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Location: Katuaq Minor Hall and Campus Ilimmarfik, Nuuk, Greenland

Organized byGreenland Research Council; Arctic Hub; Greenland Institute of Natural Resources; Icelandic Centre for Research (Rannis);Icelandic Arctic Cooperation Network (IACN)as a pre-event to the Arctic Circle Greenland Forum

From 20-26th August, 200 talents aged 18-35 years from 9 countries in the Artic region will come together in Nuuk, Greenland for The Greenland Innovation Lab focusing on gathering young people from across the Arctic and Nordic regions to develop innovative solutions to sustainability challenges that are shared across the region. Specifically, the Innovation Lab will focus on developing innovative solutions within three thematic tracks: Education; Health, including mental health; Biodiversity and climate change. During the week facilitators will guide the participants through different stages of problem framing, ideation, prototyping and testing their SDG solution. On the final days, the talents will get to pitch their solutions to receive prizes at a formal Award Show.  Mary, The Crown Princess of Denmark, will visit the Lab along with leaders from the different Artic countries. More information on the LAB´s programme can be found on the project website. 

Iceland will be represented by 13 talented and inspired individuals.  Selected from 128 applicants, we are pleased to introduce: Haukur Svansson, Ása Sveinsdóttir, Arndís Magnúsdóttir, Carina Burroughs, Esther Jónsdóttir, Božidar Runić, Birgir Baldursson, Ester Bragadottir, Sveinborg Daníelsdóttir, Jessý Jónsdóttir, Andrés Laverde, Magnús Steinsson, and Sydni Anne Long. They each reflect a commitment to sustainability through multiple approaches including health care, education, geoscience, tourism, law, entrepreneurship, psychology, UX design and biogeography. Living all over Iceland they also come from Canada, Colombia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, reflecting the growing multi-culturalism in Iceland. 

The Innovation Lab is partly funded by the NORA Programme, funding collaboration projects with partners from Iceland, Greenland, the Faroe Islands and coastal Norway.  The project is managed by UNLEASH in Denmark, a non-profit organization with a mission to accelerate positive change toward the UN´s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with partners in Greenland, Iceland and the Faroe Islands.  The Icelandic partners are NORTH Consulting, non-profit consultancy in Reykjavik focusing on accelerating the implementation of the SDGs and supporting organizations realizing their potential through entrepreneurial training and research, as well as providing support to innovation funding, creation of education and cultural strategies and youth participation in decision-making, and the Icelandic Arctic Cooperation Network whose role it is to initiate, encourage and facilitate Icelandic and international cooperation on Arctic issues, including in research, education, innovation and monitoring, amongst public and private organizations, institutions, businesses and bodies involved in Arctic issues.   

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Málþing 24. júní, samþætting heilbrigðis- og velferðarþjónustu, sjálfbær þjónusta, sjálftæðir notendur

MÁLÞING VELTEK í Menningarhúsinu Hofi, Akureyri föstudaginn 24. júní 2022. Heilbrigðis- og velferðartækniklasi Norðurlands (Veltek) mun halda málþing um nýjar nálganir í þjónustu við íbúa. Flutt verða m.a. erindi um stafræn umskipti innan heilbrigðis- og velferðarþjónustu í dreifðum byggðum, samvinnu á norðurslóðum og rannsóknir á þjónustulausnum kynntar.Í tengslum við málþingið munu fyrirtæki kynna þjónustulausnir sínar.

https://www.ssne.is/is/um-ssne/frettir/samthaetting-heilbrigdis-og-velferdarthjonustu-sjalfbaer-thjonusta-sjalftaedir-notendur

Bilateral relations between Iceland and Greenland have been steadily increasing, especially over the last decade as reflected – inter alia - by the establishment of diplomatic missions in Nuuk in 2013 by Iceland, and in Reykjavik in late 2018 by Greenland. Following this line, in 2022, Rannís, The Icelandic Centre for Research, and the Greenland Research Council signed an MoU seeking to strengthen cooperation between the scientific and educational communities in Greenland and Iceland. This session introduces both Iceland and Greenland‘s Arctic Research Strategies and explores synergies and forms of existing and potential Cooperation. The aim is three-folded:

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1. It explores Greenland and Iceland Arctic research strategies and priorities;

2. It outlines how the respective National research council/centre implements Arctic research strategies and priorities;

3. It discusses synergies and areas of current and potential Arctic research cooperation between Iceland and Greenland.

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Speakers:

Tove Søvndahl Gant, Head of Representation, Greenland Representation in Reykjavik

Þorbjörn Jónsson, Consul General, Consulate General of Iceland in Nuuk

Josephine Nymand, PhD, Chair, Greenland Research Council; Head of Department, The Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Dept. of Environment and Minerals

Ágúst Ingþórsson, General Director of The Icelandic Centre for Research (Rannís)

Rasmus Leander Nielsen, Head, Nasiffik

Embla Eir Oddsdóttir, Director, Icelandic Arctic Cooperation Network

Maliina Jensen, Secretary, Greenland Research Council

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Moderator: Pétur Ásgeirsson, Arctic Ambassador, Iceland

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More information: https://www.arcticcircle.org/sessions/greenland-and-iceland-arctic-research-strategies-and-cooperation

"Arctic Seminar" organised by the Egmont Institute, Monday 25 April (14:00 - 16:00, Brussels time) 

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Speakers / Panel: 

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• Mrs. Anna Fotyga, MEP - Member of the European Parliament; Rapporteur on EU Arctic Policy.  
• Ambassador Morton Høglund:  Norwegian Arctic Ambassador, Senior Arctic Official.
• Ambassador Rika Ellamaa-Ots: Estonian PSC Ambassador (PSC: Political and Security Committee of the Council of the EU).
• Professor Philippe Huybrechts: Professor of Glaciology and Climatology at the VUB, Brussels Free University, Belgium.
• Mrs. Embla Eir Oddsdottir: Director of the Icelandic Arctic Cooperation Network.
• Professor Arild Moe: Senior Researcher at the Fridtjof Nansen Institute in Norway.
• M. Leo Peeters: Director for Economic Interests at the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  

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The Arctic Council has developed into the primary forum for cooperation in the last 25 years, led by the eight Arctic states and the six Indigenous Permanent Participants - a unique feature of the Arctic Council – and providing a space for some 30 odd observers. Although not without criticism the Council and the work of its Working Groups has grown in importance and even though there are arguably flaws and challenges – as with any international entity, or really any entity - the Council remains a vital part of both the dialogue on, and governance of the Arctic region. Its focus on monitoring and assessing environmental and social change and the sustainable development of the region has provided information and data that is vital to future policy making in the region.  

The names of the six working groups speak to the areas of focus the Council has primarily worked with and the policy has always been to not allow certain topics, such as those relating to traditional security concerns, prevent its cooperation in other areas.  

The importance of the working groups should not be underestimated; their role is monitoring and assessment and to provide the information and data necessary for responsible and sustainable development in the region. The international scientific cooperation in addition to engagement with Indigenous communities has produced a body of work that will increasingly provide the basis with which policy development will be supported into the future. This work has vital implications for the well-being of both ecosystems and communities, not least in terms of monitoring rapid climate, environmental and social change and finding ways to respond and adapt to these changes.  

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The Arctic Guardians’ Dialogue conference is established to echo the goals of the Arctic Guardian exercise in Search and Rescue and Maritime Environmental Response within the Arctic. The conference is also built towards cooperation in the Arctic between the Arctic Coast Guard Forum (ACGF) and the EPPR Working Group of the Arctic Council; the integration of Arctic cultures and knowledge in Arctic institutions; the progressive closing of the gender gap in maritime; and the protection of the marine environment in the context of an increasing shipping traffic in the Arctic region.

More information: The Arctic Guardians' Dialogue - Share Your North 

The Arctic is at a crossroads: continue to develop new sustainable technologies or take advantage of the vast fossil fuel reserves that the region contains? The question remains complex as many challenges remain on the path towards sustainability in Arctic energy production. While southern European countries continue to grow their renewable energy production, there is still a prominent reliance on fossil fuels and nuclear power - noted by the total renewable energy production across the EU at only 20% in 2019. 

How can Arctic communities implement renewable technologies in remote communities, given the challenging physical and infrastructural barriers? While the case of Iceland´s dominant use of renewable energy sources may be perceived as a model solution, Iceland´s progress is based on its ideal geological location to harness geothermal energy. Similarly, certain Canadian Arctic communities are optimally situated to harness hydroelectric power.  

Can other Northern nations, cities and communities embrace full-scale renewable energy and move away from fossil fuels given the seeming lack of optimal opportunities? This session will explore the possibilities to achieve a fully renewable grid in the region and what technologies and approaches will need to be embraced to make a complete departure from fossil fuels possible.  

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Enabling gender equality by empowering all genders to effectively participate in modern society is one of the most important advances towards global sustainable development, encompassing equal representation in the labor market and political office (Sustainable Development Goal 5). Recent studies on gender equality demonstrate that inequality persists across the countries and spheres of engagement despite an increasing global trend towards women’s empowerment.

This event will highlight the conclusions and recommendations from the recently published Pan-Arctic Report: Gender Equality in the Arctic. Themes will include considerations on gender inequalities and empowerment in governance, economies, and social realities, and insights from Indigenous communities in the context of climate change in the Arctic.

This panel is a part of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW66) parallel events coordinated by the NGO Committee on the Status of Women (NGO CSW/NY), which is a group of New York–based women’s NGOs in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council at the United Nations. For more information on the NGO CSW66 Forum, please visit the website of the NGO Committee on the Status of Women (NGO CSW/NY).

Welcoming address:

Jörundur Valtýsson, Ambassador, Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Iceland to the United Nations in New York

Moderator:

Embla Eir Oddsdóttir, Director, Icelandic Arctic Cooperation Network

Speakers:

• Bridget Larocque, Senior Advisor, Arctic Athabaskan Council

• Andrey Petrov, Professor and Director, ARCTICenter, University of Northern Iowa

• Marya Rozanova-Smith, Research Professor, The George Washington University

• Malgorzata Smieszek, Co-lead “Women of the Arctic'' (WoA); Project Coordinator, UiT Arctic University of Norway

• Hjalti Ómar Ágústsson, Special Advisor, Directorate of Equality, Iceland.

Q&A session.

West Nordic Council Thematic Events 

Industrial sectors – including the energy sector - have traditionally been male dominated and structural inequalities persist as women´s participation in the energy sector continues to be below that of the broader economy. At the same time, the role of greater gender diversity as instrumental for sustainable development, innovation and inclusive solutions is undeniable. The growing renewable sector and the accelerated shift towards sustainable grids will require the inclusion of gender perspectives both in terms of the impacts of energy projects and in terms of gender representation and empowerment. 

Women have provided important contributions in shaping revolutionary and creative policies and frameworks for a smart transition.  

The Arctic continues to be highly dependent on non-renewable energy sources although variations between regions differ significantly. Further transitions toward renewable energy in the Arctic and abroad will require thoughtful policies with strengthened support of both sustainability and diversity. This session will dive into the barriers and opportunities for women to lead the renewable energy transition in the Arctic and abroad. 

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The Canadian Embassy in Iceland and the Icelandic Embassy in Canada, along with the Icelandic Arctic Cooperation and Polar Knowledge, Canada have cooperated on a webinar series on Arctic, Canada, Iceland related themes for a couple of years now, with great success. Themes have included Gender Equality, Indigenous Knowledge & Western Science, Cultural Diversity in the Workplace and Research Cooperation in the Arctic. More information on the Embassy of Iceland to Canada Webpage. 

https://www.arcticcircle.org/forums/arctic-circle-greenland-forum