The German Arctic Office at the 2017 Arctic Circle Assembly

© Arctic Circle

 

The Arctic Circle Assembly, the largest annual international gathering on the Arctic, took place in Reykjavik (Iceland) on 13-15 October 2017. The German Arctic Office participated in the Assembly and contributed to a number of events and sessions.

© Arctic Circle


Plenary Presentation: "The Establishment and the Mission of the Arctic Office in Germany"
(Sunday, 15 October, 15.10-15.25) The office was introduced in an invited plenary presentation, which was moderated by Herbert Ludwig Beck, Ambassador of Germany to Iceland.
Breakout Session: "Increasing International Cooperation on Arctic Science via Ministerial Meetings" (Saturday, 14 October, 16.00-17.30)typo3/#_msocom_1 The Session, organized by the European Commission Directorate General of Research & Innovation, the Ministry for Education and Culture of Finland, the Ministry for Education and Research of Germany and the United States Arctic Research Commission, was chaired by the head of the German Arctic Office. The session discussed the conception, execution, and outcomes of Arctic Science Ministerial Meetings and how they advance international cooperation. Presentations described the first Ministerial, hosted by the White House in Washington, DC, in September 2016, including the political and policy motivation, the development of the agenda, the identification of themes and the outcomes and broader implications of the event. The session also served as an opportunity to provide information about the upcoming Ministerial to be hosted jointly by the EU-Finland-Germany in Berlin on 25-26 October 2018. The participation of indigenous communities from the Arctic region is considered a priority. Their traditional knowledge and understanding of their natural environment is an essential element which contributes significantly to scientific understanding.

© German Arctic Office

From left to right: Gunn-Britt Retter (Saami Council), Fran Ulmer (United States Arctic Research Commission), Tapio Kosunen (Ministry of Education and Culture, Finland), Wilfried Kraus (Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Germany), Andrea Tilche (European Commission, DG Research & Innovation), Volker Rachold (German Arctic Office), Martin Jeffries (White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, USA).

Breakout Session: “Connecting Arctic Science with Decision-Making - from IASC to the Arctic Council” (Saturday, 14 October, 17.30-19.00)typo3/#_msocom_1 The session was organized and chaired by Gosia Smieszek (IASC Fellow, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, Finland) and built upon recent efforts of the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) to enhance its capacity to provide advice on issues of science in the Arctic and the communication of scientific knowledge to policymakers. Invited speakers discussed matters and challenges of connecting Arctic science with decision-making and of scientific cooperation in the region from their experience and their organizations’ perspectives. The head of the German Arctic Office spoke about “Collaboration Between the International Arctic Science Committee and the Arctic Council – from the Past into the Future”.

© German Arctic Office

From left to right: Lars-Otto Reiersen (formerly Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme), Kelly Falkner (National Science Foundation, USA), Gosia Smieszek (IASC Fellow, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, Finland), Henry Burgess (NERC Arctic Office, UK), Volker Rachold (German Arctic Office), Allison Fong (IASC Fellow, Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Germany).