Working together to improve preparedness of Arctic communities
The Enhancing Northern Connectivity: North-to-North Cooperation for Community Preparedness and Resilience project, funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers, was launched during the Arctic Mayors’ Forum member meeting with mayors and project partners today in Tromsø. By creating platforms for cooperation, integrating different ways of knowing and promoting inclusive governance, the project will strengthen Arctic communities’ ability to prepare for and respond to crises.
The Arctic region is facing profound geopolitical, climatic, and socio-economic changes. Community preparedness and human security are therefore decisive priorities for Arctic municipalities and partners. Learning from each other and with each other, partners will develop practical tools, establish sustainable mechanisms for cross-border knowledge transfer, and ensure that planning for crises is inclusive of Indigenous Peoples and young peoples’ perspectives.
“Arctic communities are already facing and managing wildfires, floods, and other crises – but by working together, we can develop shared best practices and make sure no-one has to reinvent the wheel.”, says Patti Bruns, General Secretary of the Arctic Mayors’ Forum. “For us it is a priority that the results can be easily found and used by mayors, municipal councils and Indigenous governments that are working to make their communities more resilient.”
Bringing together Municipalities, Indigenous organizations, and research institutions the project will deliver actionable policy briefs, a resilience toolbox, and validated methods for preparedness planning. The cooperation is led and facilitated by the Arctic Mayors’ Forum, with partners from Nordregio, NAADSN (North American and Arctic Defence and Security Network), KRK Inua, and the Harvard Arctic Initiative. The project is supported by Nordic Council of Ministers Western Partnership Programme, which supports Nordic projects in collaboration with western project partners from the UK, Canada and the US.
“Societal Security is top of mind for all Nordic Governments, especially in these uncertain times. Robust societies are not built by any one state alone. The Nordic Council of Ministers drive shared political priorities and added Nordic value to national preparedness work. This is a top political priority”. says Karen Ellemann, Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers. “By adding a North-to-North perspective to this work, local Arctic municipalities across the Nordics and North America will learn from each other and be better prepared to face potential crises in a changing world” she adds.
The 18-month project has already kicked off with a workshop to support local community resilience to permafrost thaw in Yellowknife, Canada. A facilitation guide based on in-person workshops and a baseline report will be the foundation of a series of digital knowledge exchanges between municipal leaders, Indigenous representatives, first responders and researchers. These sessions will help participants share challenges, learn from eachother, and co-create solutions which will contribute to a toolbox for communities and actionable policy recommendations.
