As its last policy event, CHARTER organized an ‘Arctic afternoon’ in Helsinki, on 8.1.2025. This was planned and carried out as a collaboration between WPs 6 and 7 – University of Lapland researchers and science communication, and researchers from universities of Helsinki and Jyväskylä. The event was targeted to decision makers and others working on (or interested in) Arctic issues in Helsinki. Approximately 30 people attended; many from ministries or other governance/administration institutions. The aim was to bring “the discussion about the North” to Helsinki, with northern people actually having the discussion on issues important to them.
After Markku Heikkilä (science communications, AC) opened the event, Jussi Eronen (UH) and Sirpa Rasmus (AC) shortly presented the CHARTER policy brief titled “Tensional dreams: Policy Options for a Sustainable Arctic”, the future-oriented work done during CHARTER years, and the general setting in northern Fennoscandia that can be termed as a polycrisis. Rapidly advancing climate change and related ecosystem changes, significant land-use pressures, impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the current tensional geopolitical situation are all something to cope with, and take into account when hopeful, locally desirable futures are discussed (yes, hopeful views on future are still allowed!). After this Johanna Yletyinen (JyU) presented work on social influence related to northern land-use – who is impacting whom.
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After researcher talks, four concrete examples or viewpoints from the environmental governance and northern livelihoods and communities were presented.
Leo Aikio (Sámi parliament) asked who is using the voice of those, who do not have voice on their own – northern animals and fish, for example? And if someone speaks for these northern inhabitants, is someone listening and actually willing to change the way of life, so that also northern nature will have easier future?
Lotta Manninen (Ministry of Environment) presented recent developments in the use of Indigenous knowledge as part of biodiversity related assessments, nature conservation, and natural resource management.
Sanna Hast (Reindeer Herders’ Association) asked is reindeer husbandry part of a problem, or part of a solution, when we think about sustainability transition in the future. Are herders slowing down good and necessary development? Why they are so often against land-use projects? Perhaps the presence of reindeer and livelihood-related infrastructure can also help to conserve old forest patches, and open fjell environment? Also, nature restoration projects can support both reindeer livelihood and biodiversity.
Jari Huotari (head of the municipal council, Inari) talked about balancing act at the municipality level – how to plan and guide land use, when so many interests and needs are meeting. He emphasized early discussions among people, openness, and understanding of various needs.
Comments were given by Hannele Pokka (UH, with a long experience of decision making in the North and for the North); she reminded that northern areas can seem like empty, but they are not, every hectare is used by someone or for something – and emphasized the importance of municipality level decision making – and Johanna Ikävalko (AC), emphasizing the importance of national Arctic strategy (at poor state at the moment) and the need for scientific knowledge during the rapid change.
Last part of the event was a panel discussion moderated by Markku and Sirpa. Panelists were Sanna Hast, Leo Aikio and Jari Huotari, joined by Hilppa Gregow from Finnish meteorological institute (expert in climate change, also part of the new Sámi climate panel in Finland).
Several talks had presented examples of land use, need for holistic land-use governance, and meeting around a shared planning table with equal opportunities to impact. Is this possible? Willingness towards collaboration has increased. But how to get from talking to action? What would be needed, is understanding the functions and functionality of land areas. This means that knowledge of those practicing their livelihood within that landscape is needed. In land-use planning, issues often cross municipality borders, this is important to acknowledge. And more economical know-how is needed!
Many developments in the North are based on human decisions. But then there are developments like rapidly advancing climate change. What does adaptation mean for panelist? Is there room to adapt – is adaptation capacity depending on land-use? Leaders of states need to understand that mitigating the climate change is the key – then all other important issues can be addressed. There was agreement but also the feeling that while mitigating the climate change is needed, several other issues need to be solved, at the same time. Adaptation is a process, it never gets completely done. Often it is also incremental and reactive – there is no time and energy to think about solutions that could help more generally, in many different difficulties. Where is the capacity, and those who can work towards adaptation – how to respond to something, that has not been experienced before? The task to plan adaptation (at livelihood level) is urgent!
Knowledge is important part of adaptive capacity / resilience. Are multiple ways of knowing used in decision making (local knowledge, scientific knowledge, etc.). Are they trusted? Are decisions made so that they are based on knowledge, or perceptions or values? Decisions are based on knowledge, and also on values – choosing what knowledge to use, that is also a value question. In the north, practical decisions are often based on traditional knowledge. But now, when changes are so rapid, traditional knowledge cannot be trusted like before. More generally, different ways of knowing need to be recognized, as part of valid knowledge base, in decision making processes. Perhaps educating the officials is a good step forward.
What is needed, to have a thriving North? Negotiations at municipality level, and trying to impact the regional, national, EU level decision making. Mitigating climate change. This requires a transition in the attitude and action. In a long run, thriving could be possible also in a very different climate, but that means also new knowledge and new traditions, and it takes several generations to create those. Thriving needs solutions that have been developed locally, based on local point of view. More encounters, dialogue, trust. Finding common ground: what do we mean when we talk using certain words – simple things. Understanding who listens when you speak, and where and to who you should speak, to make the impact. What are the avenues for interaction and communication.
The day finished with questions and discussion form the audience, and with a wish to continue dialogue either in Helsinki, or governance people invited to some northern location – or perhaps both.
Photos from the event by Anne Raja Hanhela
