Owing to the vast economic opportunities and environmental, social, and geopolitical challenges it presents, the Arctic is emerging as an important topic of debate. With an estimated 25 percent of the world’s undiscovered oil and gas reserves, and with climate change making shorter maritime routes through Arctic waters possible, the rewards of successful economic development are plentiful. However, the remote, pristine frontier is home to some of the world’s harshest conditions making energy development, maritime trade and tourism increasingly difficult and dangerous. The Arctic is also home to indigenous communities whose livelihoods are likely to be challenged by both the effects of climate change and increasing external human activity in the region.
On April 17, the Energy Security Initiative at Brookings hosted a forum to discuss the implications of greater Arctic energy and natural resource development and assessed how the international community can best cooperate to ensure that such developments are done in an environmentally and socially sustainable manner. The forum begins with keynote remarks from Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, president of Iceland, and Kuupik Kleist, a member of Parliament of Greenland and former Greenland prime minister. Other speakers included the incoming Chair of the Senior Arctic Officials of the Arctic Council, Patrick Borbey; David Hayes, deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Interior; and Mead Treadwell, lieutenant governor of the State of Alaska.
Panel 2 - Energy, Indigenous Communities and the Arctic Council
Panel 3 - Energy, Indigenous Communities and the Arctic Council
Agenda
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April 17
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Introduction
8:30 am
Alice Rogoff Co-Founder - The Arctic Circle -
Arctic Diplomats Forum
11:00 am
Patrick Borbey President - Canadian Northern Economic Development AgencyJulie Gourley Senior Arctic Official - U.S. Department of StateKlavs Holm Ambassador to the Arctic - Kingdom of DenmarkChristian Syse Deputy Secretary General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Kingdom of Norway -
Arctic Energy Governance
10:00 am
David J. Hayes Consulting Professor - Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, Distinguished Visiting Lecturer in Law - Stanford University, Former Deputy Secretary - U.S. Department of InteriorMead Treadwell Lieutenant Governor - State of Alaska -
Indigenous Communities’ Views on Arctic Development
12:30 pm
Alice Rogoff Co-Founder - The Arctic CircleDalee Dorough Vice Chairperson - United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous IssuesJimmy Stotts Chair - Inuit Circumpolar Council -
Break
9:45 am
Alice Rogoff Co-Founder - The Arctic CircleDalee Dorough Vice Chairperson - United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous IssuesJimmy Stotts Chair - Inuit Circumpolar Council -
Break
12:15 pm
Alice Rogoff Co-Founder - The Arctic CircleDalee Dorough Vice Chairperson - United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous IssuesJimmy Stotts Chair - Inuit Circumpolar Council -
Closing Remarks
1:30 pm
Gary Roughead (USN Adm. Ret.) Annenberg Distinguished Visiting Fellow - Hoover Institution -
Keynote Speakers
Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson President - Republic of IcelandKuupik Kleist Member of Parliament - Greenland
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