The yearly "High North Dialogue Research Workshop" aims to provide an arena to present and discuss researchers’ work concerned with challenges and opportunities for sustainable development in the Arctic and to connect with similar minded scholars across academic fields and professional experience. It is held in conjuction with the "High North Dialogue Conference" in Bodø (Norway).
Federica Scarpa, on behalf of IASC, gave a presentation on “Arctic Science and Business/Industry Cooperation” at “High North Dialogue Research Workshop” on 5 April 2019. The workshop was attended mostly by – but not limited to -- researchers and professors in the field of economics/development of the Arctic region from Scandinavia and Russia, including the awarded “High North Hero” 2019, Dr. Robert Corell, leader of the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA) produced by IASC and the Arctic Council.
The purpose and goal of the presentation was to highlight, share, and discuss examples of best practices and lessons learned by the IASC’s Action Group on “Arctic Science and Business/Industry Cooperation,” which has been operating for the last two years (for further reference, please see “Action Group Update: Arctic Science and Business/Industry Cooperation”, 2017, and “Meeting Report: The Cooperation of Arctic Science with Business and Industry”, 2018) . Specifically, the presentation focused on opportunities and challenges of potential cooperation between Business/Industry and Arctic Science.
After the presentation, attendees actively participated in a discussion and shared the following suggestions/comments to be considered:
- to explore the role of private/charitable foundations in providing funding/support in advancing Arctic science
- to address negative impacts that might stem from cooperating with “certain” types of business. This is the case, for example, of fraudulent enterprises investing in science in order to “clean their reputation” in front of the public
- to include workers’ perspectives in the discussion
In addition, it was underlined by the attendees that IASC potentially holds the capacity to positively foster fruitful cooperation between Business/Industry and Science, and this capacity should be further discussed, explored, and enacted.