SEI to play leading role in Arctic resilience project

Written by Ian Caldwell

Friday, 13 May 2011 10:31

An Arctic Resilience Report is one of the priorities as Sweden has taken over the chairmanship of the Arctic Council, with SEI as a key partner.

The aim of the project is to create a knowledge base for meeting the challenges of the very rapid changes in the region. Climate change is the major concern but other environmental changes, as well as political and economic changes, also play a role, and it has become increasingly important to understand their integrated impacts and how to address them.

The project will be led by Stockholm Environment Institute and Stockholm Resilience Centre in collaboration with the Resilience Alliance. It will analyze the capacities that are available for absorbing shocks in Arctic social-ecological systems and to adapt while maintaining essential functions, as well as the potential for renewal and reorganization when change is inevitable.

Dealing with large uncertainties
The aim of a resilience analysis is to prepare decision makers for managing Arctic social-ecological systems in a period of rapid change with large uncertainties. It will start with scoping activities in the fall of 2011 and is part of preparations for a larger effort in the Arctic Council of an Arctic Change Assessment.


- Arctic Council (external link)
- Sweden’s chairmanship website (external link: in Swedish)
- Recent reports about Arctic change (external link)
- Relevant Arctic projects (external link)
- Resilience Alliance (external link)