28 March 2025 | 10:30 - 12:00 (MDT)
Open Session - HYBRID
Room: UMC Fourth Floor - 415 / 417
Organisers: Amy Macfarlane (UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Norway); Maddison Smith (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, USA); Elaine Runge (Danish Hydrological Institute, Denmark)
Session Description:
The Arctic is one of the most vulnerable regions on our planet, facing unprecedented challenges due to climate change and human activity. As scientific interest in the Arctic intensifies, it becomes crucial to ensure that fieldwork conducted in this fragile environment adheres to the highest standards of environmental protection and ethical responsibility. This session aims to explore the development of sustainable and ethical scientific fieldwork practices that prioritize the preservation of the Arctic.
We plan to discuss strategies for minimizing the footprint of research activities using environmental science, indigenous knowledge, and fieldwork ethics. Discussion topics will include an overview of the latest guidelines and best practices for conducting research in the Arctic, recommendations to implement impact assessments of scientific expeditions/fieldwork, innovative technologies, waste management protocols, and the importance of obtaining informed consent from Indigenous communities. The session will also highlight case studies of successful collaborations between scientists and local populations, showcasing how indigenous knowledge and scientific methods can be braided to achieve more comprehensive and respectful research outcomes. We hope to learn from case studies in the Antarctic and other remote regions that have successfully implemented innovative sustainable measures.