Faculty Publications

Arctic Sustainability Research: Past, Present And Future

Andrey N. Petrov, University of Northern Iowa
Shauna BurnSilver
F. Stuart Chapin
Gail Fondahl, University of Northern British Columbia
Jessica K. Graybill, Colgate University
Kathrin Keil, Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies
Annika E. Nilsson, The Royal Institute of Technology (KTH)
Rudolf Riedlsperger
Peter Schweitzer, Universität Wien

Abstract

The Arctic is one of the world’s regions most affected by cultural, socio-economic, environmental, and climatic changes. Over the last two decades, scholars, policymakers, extractive industries, governments, intergovernmental forums, and non-governmental organizations have turned their attention to the Arctic, its peoples, resources, and to the challenges and benefits of impending transformations. Arctic sustainability is an issue of increasing concern as well as the resilience and adaptation of Arctic societies to changing conditions. This book offers key insights into the history, current state of knowledge and the future of sustainability, and sustainable development research in the Arctic. Written by an international, interdisciplinary team of experts, it presents a comprehensive progress report on Arctic sustainability research. It identifies key knowledge gaps and provides salient recommendations for prioritizing research in the next decade. Arctic Sustainability Research will appeal to researchers, academics, and policymakers interested in sustainability science and the practices of sustainable development, as well as those working in polar studies, climate change, political geography, and the history of science.