Activities of professor Tiina Ikäheimo, UArctic Chair in Arctic climate and occupational health at the Arctic Congress 2026, Faroe Islands
As UArctic Chair in Arctic Climate and Occupational Health, Professor Tiina Ikäheimo contributed to several key scientific and collaborative activities during the Arctic Congress 2026 held in the Faroe Islands. These engagements strengthened international cooperation on occupational safety and health (OSH) and climate resilience in Arctic workplaces.
As UArctic Chair in Arctic Climate and Occupational Health, Professor Tiina Ikäheimo contributed to several key scientific and collaborative activities during the UArctic Congress 2026 held in the Faroe Islands. These engagements strengthened international cooperation on occupational safety and health (OSH) and climate resilience in Arctic workplaces.
Professor Ikäheimo co-organized a pre-meeting on 25th of May together with the UArctic Thematic Network "Working in the Arctic" and their leaders. Held at the University of the Faroe Islands, the meeting gathered experts to identify shared research interests and future collaborative opportunities. The aim of the meeting was to bring together experts in the research field and to identify common interests and topics for future collaborative research projects.
During the UArctic congress on 26th of May Professor Ikäheimo co-chaired the scientific session Occupational Safety and Health in the Arctic: Building climate resilience for workers and communities together with thematic network leaders Kirsi Jussila and Hans Pettersson. The session focused on the intersection of occupational safety and health (OSH) and climate change in the Arctic, aiming to explore strategies for adaptation and resilience to protect workers, workplaces, and communities from climate-related challenges. A total of eight oral presentations were delivered by researchers from Greenland, Canada, Norway, Sweden, and Finland, representing both early-career scientists and experienced professionals.
At the same session Professor Ikäheimo presented results from a Nordic network project titled “Impacts of climate change in Arctic outdoor work.” The presentation highlighted findings from a project supported by the Norwegian Ministry of Health and Care Services, focusing on stakeholder discussions about how climate change affects working conditions, safety, and resilience in Arctic outdoor workplaces.
To conclude the week, the Nordic network of Climate and OSH scientists visited Bakkafrost, the leading producer of high-quality salmon in the Faroe Islands and Scotland. The visit provided insights into climate-related operational challenges and resilience strategies within the aquaculture sector.