Rapid Changes in the Arctic
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Rapid Changes in the Arctic Results book of the Nordic Arctic Research Programme (NARP) Author: Kari Strand TemaNord 2006:568 Rapid Changes in the Arctic Results book of the Nordic Arctic Research Programme (NARP) TemaNord 2006:568 © Nordic Council of Ministers, Copenhagen 2006 ISBN 92-893-1384-6 Print: Ekspressen Tryk & Kopicenter Editors: Tuija Siira and Satu Tähtinen Cover photo: Kari Strand. Ilulissat, Greenland. Copies: 220 Printed on environmentally friendly paper This publication can be ordered on www.norden.org/order. Other Nordic publications are available at www.norden.org/publications Printed in Denmark Nordic Council of Ministers Nordic Council Store Strandstræde 18 Store Strandstræde 18 DK-1255 Copenhagen K DK-1255 Copenhagen K Phone (+45) 3396 0200 Phone (+45) 3396 0400 Fax (+45) 3396 0202 Fax (+45) 3311 1870 www.norden.org Nordic co-operation Nordic co-operation, one of the oldest and most wide-ranging regional partnerships in the world, involves Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland. Co- operation reinforces the sense of Nordic community while respecting national differences and simi- larities, makes it possible to uphold Nordic interests in the world at large and promotes positive relations between neighbouring peoples. Co-operation was formalised in 1952 when the Nordic Council was set up as a forum for parlia- mentarians and governments. The Helsinki Treaty of 1962 has formed the framework for Nordic partnership ever since. The Nordic Council of Ministers was set up in 1971 as the formal forum for co-operation between the governments of the Nordic countries and the political leadership of the autonomous areas, i.e. the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland. Contents Preface................................................................................................................................ 7 Summary ............................................................................................................................ 9 1. Introduction .................................................................................................................. 11 2. Scientific Significance.................................................................................................. 13 3. Overview of the projects............................................................................................... 15 3.1 Research on land, sea and climate........................................................................ 15 3.2 Adaptation of organisms has economic consequences ......................................... 22 3.3 Opportunities for human life in the north............................................................. 30 4. Organized Workshops .................................................................................................. 39 5. Symposium Series ........................................................................................................ 45 5.1 1st symposium: The Arctic on Thinner Ice, Oulu, 2001....................................... 45 5.2 2nd symposium: The Arctic in the Anthropocene: The North Atlantic Arctic in Focus, Akureyri, 2002..................................................................................... 46 5.3 3rd symposium (connected to the International Conference): Arctic – Alpine Ecosystems and People in a changing Environment, Tromsø, 2003 ............... 47 6. Statistics ....................................................................................................................... 49 Calls for proposals...................................................................................................... 49 Networking workshops .............................................................................................. 49 Publications................................................................................................................ 50 Students...................................................................................................................... 50 Gender distribution..................................................................................................... 51 7. Programme Management.............................................................................................. 53 8. Publications .................................................................................................................. 57 8.1 Natural processes – land, sea and atmosphere...................................................... 57 8.2 Biological diversity and environmental threats in the Arctic................................ 72 8.3 Living conditions of the inhabitants of the Arctic ................................................ 82 Sammanfattning................................................................................................................ 89 Tiivistelmä........................................................................................................................ 91 Preface The natural processes that shape the Nordic arctic and subarctic regions, and especially those in the northern Atlantic Ocean, are globally impor- tant. In the northern Atlantic, warm southern ocean currents are replaced by currents from the cold Polar region. This process has a notable impact on both regional and global climate. The prevailing climate conditions, in turn, significantly contribute to the biological resources of, and even mo- re widely, to people’s possibilities of maintaining favourable living con- ditions in the northern regions. Arctic plants and animals live in extreme conditions, and even minor changes in these conditions may affect their ability to survive. Short-term climatic changes that take place within a generation are mostly governed by changes in ocean currents. However, our knowledge of these processes continues to be inade- quate. There is a call for international research on the living conditions of people in the North in terms of the goals of sustainable development. The level of public interest in arctic matters is high, and the Nordic countries should therefore assume increasing responsibility for arctic research, especially in Europe. The Nordic Council of Ministers established the Nordic Arctic Re- search Programme (NARP) for the years 1999–2003 to promote Nordic networking of research closely relevant to all the above-mentioned objec- tives, and to increase the mobility of young researchers within the Nordic countries. Many Nordic research groups had good contacts with non- Nordic groups, but this programme focused especially on the benefits potentially obtainable from Nordic synergies. Encouraging research groups from Greenland, the Faroe Islands and Iceland to integrate with the Nordic networks was particularly important. The programme’s board consisted of representatives from all the Nor- dic countries, the Faroe Islands and Greenland. The coordinating secre- tariat of the programme lead by Dr. Kari Strand was located at the Thule Institute at the University of Oulu. The programme was a significant re- source for Nordic research in the Arctic, and it provided a particularly good opportunity for Nordic cooperation and research networking. Out- standing work on a variety of arctic issues has been done through the programme’s 63 projects. It has become clear during the course of the Nordic Arctic Research Programme that there is an urgent need for multidisciplinary scientific arctic studies also in the future. Especially the trends and amplitudes of environmental changes in the Arctic are still poorly recorded, and our understanding of them is incomplete. We should pay special scientific attention to the rapidly changing socio-economic conditions in the Arctic. 8 Results book of the Nordic Arctic Research Programme (NARP) There is a growing interest in arctic studies even outside the Arctic, for example in Japan and Germany. The advanced scientific infrastruc- ture of the Nordic countries should be utilized more effectively in arctic studies. European collaboration within EU framework programmes and through the ESF should be further encouraged. This would guarantee funding for larger and more focused research projects. Modern Nordic arctic research is a significant part of contemporary international research on themes ranging from global change, through sustainable exploitation of natural resources, to the living conditions of northern populations. This NARP results publication is based on research that has been car- ried out by many Nordic organizations ranging from universities to state research institutes. The Nordic Arctic Research Programme (NARP) ac- knowledges longstanding financial support from the Nordic Councils of Ministers. The research and network projects also received substantial support from their many home and partner institutions. We thank these institutions for accomplishing all the achievements required by the pro- gramme. Especially warm regards go to the Nordic laboratories that ho- sted young students during their study visits and to the Universities of Oulu, Akureyri and Tromsø, which hosted three international NARP symposiums in 2001, 2002 and 2003, respectively. We would like to thank the Secretariat of the Nordic Council of Min- isters for excellent cooperation during the programme. Our special com- pliments go to Senior Adviser Kate Runeberg from the Department of Education, Research and ICT for all her advice and guidance. Research Coordinator Morten Bennum’s help was also much appreciated in the implementation