24 November 2014 - 25 November 2014
IIASA, Laxenburg, Austria
The Arctic Futures Initiative aims to bring together representatives from the Arctic Council’s Senior Arctic Officials, Working Groups, Task Forces, and Secretariats, representatives from the Arctic Economic Council, major national funding agencies, and the private sector. The AFI will bring together the views of the Arctic states and indigenous peoples.
Start: 12:00, Monday, 24 November;
Finish: 16:00, Tuesday 25 November.
Background Information
The International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), is in the planning phase of a new integrative research project, the Arctic Futures Initiative (AFI), aiming to exploit IIASA’s singular position as an international, non-governmental research organization with connections, through its National Member Organizations, to the science and policy communities of essentially all of the Arctic Council member and observer nations, and with a long history of developing systems analytic approaches to complex global issues.
This Project reflects a key conclusion from a seminar “Policy Support from Arctic Research” held in Helsinki, Finland in May 2013, jointly organized by the Finnish Prime Minister's Office, the Academy of Finland, and IIASA. The need for a holistic, integrative assessment of plausible futures for the Arctic, cutting across different disciplines and individual countries’ strategic interests was the central message of the meeting, as well as from subsequent meetings and discussions held in Finland, Russia and USA during the winter and spring of 2013-14.
A key decision taken during the “Special Session” organized 21 May 2014 at IIASA in connection with the “Arctic Scenarios Workshop” included the establishment of an Advisory Group for the Arctic Futures Initiative. The Advisory Group will set the priorities and goals for the initiative, advise and advance the strategy, methodology and tools for a holistic, interdisciplinary integrative approach, monitor the progress, and adjust the work plans if needed.
ARCTIC FUTURES INITIATIVE
A new IIASA flagship initiative will bring a holistic systems perspective to the Arctic.
RESEARCH PARTNERS
International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)
Schlossplatz 1, A-2361 Laxenburg, Austria
Phone: (+43 2236) 807 0 Fax:(+43 2236) 71 313