The 9th China – Nordic Arctic Cooperation (CNARC) Symposium will be held this year from Oct 13-16 in Akureyri Iceland.
Symposium Registration:
Registration to the symposium is handled by the University of Akureyri
For VISA invitation support contact:
Symposium Registration fee: The conference fee is 35.000 ISKR with a discounted rate for students
Please note that registration fee for the Symposium is paid via the "Registration for the Symposium" button below to the event organizer the University of Akureyri.
For travel support (including accommodation and bus transfer), please register and pay via the "Hotel & Travel support" button below. These services are managed by co-organizer Arctic Portal.
Registration for the Symposium Student Registration Hotel & Travel support
Symposium Theme: The Arctic, as a Region of Opportunities and Challenges & the Importance of Sino-Nordic Cooperation.
Convened by: University of Akureyri, University of Iceland, Icelandic Centre for Research, Arctic Portal, and South China Business College
Location: University of Akureyri, Iceland
Further information and questions can be directed to:
- Tom Barry, Dean of School, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Akureyri,
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ; - Sandy Shan, Executive Secretary, CNARC,
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Symposium Agenda
Sunday, 13th October 2024
Registration of participants
Arrival of foreign participants to Iceland.
Flights depart from Reykjavik domestic airport at 8.05,12.05,15.30 and 18.30.
Direct Bus transfer option from Keflavik airport / Reykjavik to Akureyri in connection with participants' arrivals will be provided.
Monday, October 14, at the China-Iceland Arctic Observatory (CIAO)
- 13:30 - 15:00 - Assembly of Member Institutes of CNARC (by invitation only)
- 15:00 - 16:00 - CNARC Executive Committee Meeting (by invitation only)
- 15:00 - Bus departure from Akureyri to the CIAO station for all registered participants and invited guests. Bus departs from the bus stop in Strandgata, in front of the Conference Center HOF
- 16:00 - 17:00 - Introduction and excursion of the CIAO station
- 17:00 - 17:15 - Presentation from IASC
- 17:15 - 18:00 - Panel discussion: International Arctic research cooperation
- 18:00 - 20:00 - Icebreaker Reception / stand-up dinner
Tuesday, October 15, University of Akureyri (UNAK)
- 8:15 - 9:00 - Registration & Coffee
Plenary 1: welcome remarks and opening of the Symposium
- 09:00 - 09:15 - Housekeeping & general information
- 09:15 - 09:30 - HA Rektor Áslaug Ásgeirsdóttir
- 09:30 - 09:45 - RANNÍS Director, Ágúst Hjörtur Ingþórsson
- 09:45 - 10:00 - PRIC Deputy Director Dr. Beichen Zhang
- 10:00 - 10:30 - Coffee break
- 10:30 - 10:50 - Keynote presentation Dr. Rong Wan, Rector of Shanghai Ocean University
- 10:50 - 11:10 - Keynote presentation Dr. Gunnar Stefánsson, University of Iceland, University of the Arctic
- 11:10 - 11:30 - Keynote presentation Dr. Romain Chuffart, Nansen Professor, University of Akureyri
- 11:30 - 12:00 - Questions & Answers from the audience
12:00 - 13:30 - Lunch and group photo
Parallel sessions - Room 1 - Session 1: International Cooperation and Arctic Governance, Current and Future Perspectives
Moderator: Pei Zhang, Researcher, SIIS
- 13:30 - 13:45 - Towards Sustainable Arctic Governance: Enhancing Adaptability and Synergy, Long Zhao
- 13:45 - 14:00 - Implementation of Multilateral Environmental Agreements in the Arctic: A case study on the Ramsar Convention on wetlands, Tom Barry
- 14:00 - 14:15 - Implications of the area-based management tool under the BBNJ Agreement for Arctic Ocean governance, Xidi Chen
- 14:15 - 14:30 - The Role of Science Diplomacy in China-Nordic Arctic Relations, Egill Thor Nielsson
- 14:30 - 14:45 - Utilization of Arctic Biological Resources and international cooperation, Ying Luo
- 14:45 - 15:00 - Rethinking science diplomacy for a fragmented Arctic, Trym Eiterfjord
- 15:00 - 15:15 - New Challenges of Sustainable Development in a Changing Arctic and the Sino-Nordic Cooperation, Yingqin Zheng
- 15:15 - 15:30 - The Western Turn (Arctic-2030 BANHER): Joint Nordic-Canadian/US Arctic Cooperation in Higher Education during Changing Geopolitical Times, Peter Haugseth and Heather Nicol
- 15:30 - 15:45 - Questions and Answers, Session moderator
15:45 - 16:15 - Coffee Break
Session 2
Moderator: Pia Hanssen, Director, Institute of International Affairs, University of Iceland
- 16:15 - 16:30 - What Arctic can Learn from Negotiations on A New Global Treaty on Plastic Pollution, Leilei Zou
- 16:30 - 16:45 - Chinese Arctic Diplomacy under World Order Change, Rasmus Gjedssø Bertelsen and Mariia Kobzeva
- 16:45 - 17:00 - Give Peace a Chance: Arctic Politics in the Planetocene, Liisa Kauppila and Sanna Kopra
- 17:00 - 17:15 - Images of China in Russian and U.S. discourses on the Arctic, Erdem Lamazhapov
- 17:15 - 17:30 - The Dilemmas and Prospects for China's Engagement in the Nordic Arctic, Wei Sun
- 17:30 - 17:45 - Questions and Answers, Session moderator
Parallel sessions - Room 2 - Session 3: Creating, developing and sharing Social and Environmental Knowledge in the Arctic
Moderator: Deng Beixi, Deputy Director, PRIC
- 13:30 - 13:45 - How is the Co-production model applied in the Arctic?, Marco Volpe
- 13:45 - 14:00 - Effects of climate change on integrated marine Ecosystem Assessment in the Arctic, Steingrímur Jónsson
- 14:00 - 14:15 - Society and Advanced Technology in the Arctic (SATA): Understanding the interplay between Arctic environments and societies for sustainable development, Rasmus Gjedssø Bertelsen
- 14:15 - 14:30 - Polar Exploration with Different Purposes: Exploring the glaciers, natural species, and night sky conservation of the polar regions, Exodus Chun-Long Sit
- 14:30 - 14:45 - Nordic Space Infrastructures: Sustainability, Security, and the Future, Adam Fishwick
- 14:45 - 15:00 - Application potential of Chinese spaceborne LiDAR for polar cloud-aerosol detection, Lin Zang
- 15:00 - 15:15 - Questions and Answers, Session moderator
15:15 - 16:15 - Coffee Break
Session 4: Sustainable development in the Arctic, Arctic Resources, Green Transitions, and Global cooperation
Moderator: Tom Barry, University of Akureyri
- 16:15 - 16:30 - The Northern Sea Route and the role of climate change, Arild Moe
- 16:30 - 16:45 - Assessment of Arctic Shipping Development in the Post conflict Era, Beixi Deng
- 16:45 - 17:00 - Enhancing the use of renewable energies for transportation, Younes Abghoui
- 17:00 - 17:15 - Evolving Dynamics of Sino-Nordic Cooperation in Arctic Clean Energy: Case Studies in Geothermal and Wind Energy, Yue Wang
- 17:15 - 17:30 - Municipal solid waste incineration in the Arctic, Aysan Safavi
- 17:30 - 17:45 - Arctic Living in times of booming global Tourism in the Arctic: The case of Alta an Urban Arctic center in Vest-Finnmark, Northern Norway, Peter Haugseth and Per Kåre Jakobsen
- 17:45 - 18:00 - Critical Raw Materials in the Era of Planetary Transformations: The Case of the Arctic Region, Florian Vidal
- 18:00 - 18:15 - Reconfiguration of Arctic Energy Security, Yu Cao
- 18:15 - 18:30 - Questions and Answers, Session moderator
19:00 - Symposium Dinner, Aurora restaurant
Wednesday, October 16
Session 2: Arctic People's, Rights and Policies
Moderator: Jian Yang, Deputy Director, CNARC; Researcher, SIIS
- 08:30 - 08:45 - An Analysis on the Identity and Path of Indigenous Peoples Participation in the Arctic Governance: An Energy Transition Perspective, Guifang (Julia) Xue
- 08:45 - 09:00 - Indigenous engagement in the Arctic Council - Case study of CAFF, Kári Fannar Lárusson
- 09:00 - 09:15 - Indigenous Ecological Knowledge in Environmental restorative justice, Sara Fusco
- 09:15 - 09:30 - Questions and Answers, Session moderator
09:30 - 10:00 - Coffee Break
Final Plenary Session
- 10:00 - 11:00 - Closing remarks, Tom Barry (University of Akureyri), Yang Jian (Shanghai Institutes of International Studies SIIS)
11:30 - Lunch
13:00 - Departure of bus to Reykjavík from UNAK
Symposium Theme
The Arctic, a region of opportunities and challenges, the importance of Sino-Nordic Cooperation as its overarching theme.
The symposium organizers invite presentations that examine:
Session 1: International Cooperation and Arctic Governance, Current and Future Perspectives
Session 2: Arctic People/s, Rights, and Policies
Session 3: Creating, developing and sharing Social and Environmental Knowledge in the Arctic
Session 4: Sustainable development in the Arctic, Arctic Resources, Green Transitions and Global cooperation
Abstracts will be accepted for oral presentations, and all submissions must be in English
- Deadline for Submission: August 15, 2024
- Abstracts (max 250)
Please submit abstracts electronically to the following email address:
Further information and questions can be directed to:
- Tom Barry, Dean of School, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Akureyri,
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ; - Sandy Shan, Executive Secretary, CNARC,
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Symposium Registration:
Registration to the symposium is handled by the University of Akureyri
For VISA invitation support contact:
Symposium Registration fee: The conference fee is 35.000 ISKR with a discounted rate for students
Travel support:
Accommodation and travel support is organized by the Arctic Portal. Hotel rooms have been reserved in Akureyri for participants at conference rates on a first come, – first served basis.
Booking is available through the online travel arrangements registration form at - https://cnarc.info/events/9symp-optional/event.php
To book your local flight please go to www.flugfelag.is
If you need other travel support please contact the organizers at
Self-drive Rental Car option will be made available at compatible rates – contact
Accommodation:
Conference accommodation rates:
4 star hotel - 295 USD per night including breakfast
3 star hotel - 245 USD per night including breakfast
2 star hotel - 195 USD per night including breakfast
Guesthouse - 160 USD per night including breakfast
Transfer:
Bus from Keflavík airport to Akureyri on the 13th Oct 2024 (110 USD)
Bus from Reykjavík to Akureyri on the 13th Oct 2024 (90 USD)
Bus from Reykjavík to Akureyri on the 14th Oct 2024 (90 USD)
Bus from Akureyri to Reykjavík on the 16th Oct 2024 (90 USD)
Optional tour is provided to the famous Forest Lagoon (75 USD)
Register here: https://cnarc.info/events/9symp-optional/event.php
Background descriptions for each session:
Session 1: International Cooperation and Arctic Governance, Current and Future Perspectives
With the growing focus re-emergence of security concerns in the Arctic, including the growing impacts of climate change, the work of the Arctic Council and the Arctic strategies of Nordic countries are being affected. The Arctic governance regime is undergoing its greatest impact since the 1990s in the wake of the pandemic and the Russo-Ukrainian war. Maintaining the functionality of the Arctic governance conflicts with the geopolitical aims of some countries, and balance is becoming more difficult to maintain. This situation has not diminished the Arctic's qualities as a region vulnerable to climate change, where the role of the Arctic as a climate change response region is becoming increasingly important after the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). How can the Nordic countries and China play help promote peaceful Arctic governance and international cooperation to the original track of peaceful competition? This session will explore Arctic international cooperation and governance issues including:
- What are the prospects for China-Nordic cooperation in the Arctic and are there any approaches that could strengthen mutual understanding and trust?
- Based on current and future perspectives, what measures could help Arctic peaceful governance and international cooperation?
- What are the challenges for the Arctic governance framework and future perspectives e.g.
- How can China-Nordic cooperation help promote better Arctic governance?
Session 2: Arctic People/s, Rights, and Policies
The Arctic is home to circa 4 million people of which approximately 500,000 are Indigenous Peoples. Arctic Indigenous Peoples are key players in the region's environmental politics through their role as Permanent Participants in the Arctic Council; and the importance of Indigenous Knowledge in ensuring a better understanding of the impacts of climate change and preparing adaptation and mitigation responses. Therefore to ensure that the Arctic remains a sustainable and secure home for all its inhabitants, Indigenous Peoples and their rights and well-being must be respected and taken into account in in decision-making and governance in the Arctic. This session will address the following issues: The role of Indigenous Peoples in Arctic Governance;
Session 3: Creating, developing, and sharing Social and Environmental Knowledge in the Arctic
The increasing changes happening in the Arctic’s cascade throughout the entire global climate system. In order to address current gaps and global connections, we need an approach that spans disciplines, scales and diverse knowledge systems in future research activities. Key to understanding the changes happening in the Arctic and their potential impact requires knowledge - both Indigenous, scientific and local. To enhance our understanding of the Arctic within and beyond the region this session will explore knowledge collection, analysis, and communication including the:
- importance of scientific assessments to improving knowledge and understanding of the Arctic to inform policy shaping and decision-making;
- co-production of knowledge, based on different knowledge systems, where science, Indigenous knowledge, and local knowledge are used to inform policy shaping and decision-making relevant to Arctic people and their communities; and the
- promotion of scientific and Arctic research cooperation and encouraging access to, and sharing of, Arctic data.
Session 4: Sustainable development in the Arctic, Arctic Resources and Green Transitions and global cooperation
Building on the outcomes of COP28 and understanding that healthy and Resilient Arctic Ecosystems are dependent upon a sustainable development approach to Arctic development. Doing so requires that biodiversity and ecosystem objectives and provisions are taken into account in ongoing and future international standards, agreements, plans, operations, and/ or other tools specific to development in the Arctic. In a landmark moment for the global energy transition, parties to UNFCCC at COP28th agreed to transition away from fossil fuels, triple renewable power, and double energy efficiency by 2030. The Arctic is both a producer of energy and a beneficiary of energy transitions. As a relatively clean fossil energy source, Arctic liquefied natural gas (LNG) could act as a bridge towards the energy transition. The demand for Arctic energy from Asian economies, including China, Japan, South Korea, and India, and the rapid development of clean energy technologies in the future, as well as the achievement of peak carbon and carbon neutrality goals, will greatly influence the transformation of the Arctic energy mix. This session will explore sustainable development issues in the Arctic including:
- Mainstreaming of environmental concerns in Arctic resource development;
- The role of external actors in Arctic resource development and their connection to the Arctic;
- Promotion of green transition in Arctic resource and energy initiatives.
- What will be the situation of the new energy resilience of the Nordic countries; and
- What will be the contribution to the world's energy transition? What kind of changes could stricter Arctic environmental protection and prohibitions on energy fuels bring to the energy cooperation between Arctic and non-Arctic countries?
