2.5 Building capacity and institutional resilience

2.5.1 The Architecture of Urban Cooperation: Fostering Local Development in a Changing Arctic

Convener: Nadezhda Filimonova, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Harvard Kennedy School’s Arctic Initiative

Session Description:

As the effects of climate change continue to pose significant challenges in the Arctic, cities and their residents are at the frontlines of various transformative processes. Over the years, Arctic cities have developed multiple forms of cooperation to address these challenges to compensate for financial, scientific, geographical, and jurisdictional constraints. This session brings together experts and practitioners from numerous disciplines to develop knowledge on the circumstances and objectives for cities to establish cooperation, both within city networks (e.g., Arctic Mayor’s Forum) and with non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, and residents, to foster the Arctic cities' sustainable and resilient future. In addition, the panel brings an understanding of resources (e.g., financial) and knowledge that local authorities require to elaborate and implement their policies and who provides those resources. By examining urban collaborative forms of governance, one can better comprehend whether and how diverse governance practices and knowledge travel and translate between cities in remote locations and severe climatic conditions. Ultimately, bringing awareness about different forms of urban cooperation contributes to discussing the future pathways for Arctic governance development under the rapid climatic and geopolitical changes.

The language of the session is English. Oral presentations only.

Read the abstract guidelines here: Call for Abstracts — Arctic Congress 2024 Bodø 

Abstract submission deadline: January 5, 2024 at 17:00 CET