BASIC is organising an online conference on Risk Reduction in the Arctic. This conference is the culmination of dozens of interviews conducted by BASIC, with Arctic scholars and experts, current and former civil servants who are working or have worked with Arctic issues, Arctic Indigenous scholars and policy analysts, and Next Generation scholars to discuss Risk Reduction in the Arctic.
The conference will take place on Thursday 10th November from 5pm to 7pm GMT. Register here for the conference and find the time of the conference according to your time zone.
During the conference, Dr Chiara Cervasio, Timothy Choi and Dr Gry Thomasen will discuss together the findings of three recently published reports that address perceptions of risks and threats in the circumpolar Arctic, as influenced by climate change and shifting power dynamics in the region. The reports are part of the project ‘Risk Reduction in the Arctic’ that BASIC is undertaking in collaboration with the Department of National Defence of the Government of Canada (DND).
The three reports are:
Prioritising People in the Arctic: Eight Policy Proposals for Reducing Risks to Human Security. This report addresses existing and emerging threats to human security in the Arctic and investigates the utility of different risk reduction measures in mitigating such risks. It develops eight policy proposals to promote risk reduction in the Arctic. Download the report here.
Managing Resources and Sea Routes in the Arctic: Looking to the Future. This report forecast emerging risks of great power competition over resources and sea routes in the Arctic following climate change and changes to the power dynamics in the region by for instance, the arrival of new great powers to the region. It provides a set of policy recommendations to manage these risks and to set new norms for responsible state behaviour in the Arctic. Download the report here.
Canadian Submarine Recapitalization within the Context of Climate Change. Canada has begun exploring future roles and replacement options for its aging submarine fleet, with Arctic operations a key consideration given climate change’s reduction of sea ice. This report explores the future prospects of Canadian submarines under the Arctic ice cap in the face of Russia’s continued reliance on using the region as a ‘bastion’ for its underwater nuclear deterrent. Download the report here.