News & Highlights

The High North: Challenges and Opportunities

Thursday 18 - Sunday 21 February 2010

WP1017

This conference, run in partnership with the Norwegian Foreign Ministry, addressed challenges facing the Arctic. Participants focused on the impact of climate change, which is being felt at a much faster rate there than elsewhere; on implications for the environment in general, for shipping, energy resourcing and security, and also identified governance needs as the Arctic rises in importance on the international agenda. They analysed how best to communicate the implications of what is happening to a wider audience and examined the role of business and investment to maximise potential for the northern regions.

Keynote speakers included the Foreign Minister of Norway, Jonas Gahr Støre, and Stewart Stevenson, Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change in the Scottish Government. Sven Roald Nystø, former President of the Norwegian Sami Parliament, and Inuuteq Olsen, Deputy Minister of the Government of Greenland, were among the representatives of the Northern people.

Please click here to Minster Støre's speech.

(from left to right) David Cope, Director, Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology; Adela Gooch, Programme Director, Wilton Park; Stewart Stevenson, Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change in the Scottish Government

John Roberts, Energy Security Specialist, Platts; Margaret Blunden, Emeritus Professor, University of Westminster

Anton Vasiliev, Ambassador at Large for the High North, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), Russian Federation

Sven Roald Nyst ø, former President of the Norwegian Sami Parliament ; Eystein Jansen, Research Director, Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research

Jonas Gahr Stø re, Foreign Minister of Norway