Arctic NBICs in 2035: the political economy of biodiversity in the high north

Date/time: December 3, 10:30-12:00

Room: Gofoten

Session organizer: Mikå Mered, POLARISK Group, French Polar Cluster

This session aims at offering a new definition of what Arctic biodiversity means now, and may mean in the future. Looking at the need of protecting the Arctic's biodiversity from different and innovative perspectives, the presenters will tackle a broad range of topics such as: the existing geopolitics of bio-exploitation in the Arctic; the legal challenges of Arctic bioprospecting; the political risks that Arctic bio-businesses may help mitigate outside the Arctic; the existing ties between the academic, diplomatic and business spheres on the matter. Going further into the political economy of biodiversity in the Arctic, the session will discuss the impact of the emerging bio-economy on transnational cooperation and the reinforcement of the Arctic Council's legitimacy as the main Arctic intergovernmental institution. Thanks to a thorough scenario mapping of Arctic biodiversity futures up to 2035, the session will discuss how the Arctic bio-economy could benefit Arctic peoples, generate positive externalities even outside the Arctic, and how this sector could become one of the best strategic communication tools to protect the region's biodiversity.

Scenario Planning session