At Arctic Frontiers 2026 in Tromsø, Nordregio contributed to key policy discussions on how Arctic regions can manage rapid economic change while safeguarding communities, livelihoods, and ecosystems.
Through two complementary contributions to this week’s conference in Tromsø, Nordregio researchers emphasised social and local perspectives in tourism policy debates and green industry projects. Sustainable development in the Arctic requires more than economic growth and environmental protection. It must also address social sustainability, inclusive governance, and long-term community wellbeing.
Putting social sustainability on the tourism agenda
In a session on overtourism and climate change, Senior Research Advisor Ágúst Bogason presented findings from Nordregio’s research on socially sustainable tourism. While tourism in Arctic destinations has increased sharply over the past decade and a half, policy debates often focus on economic benefits and environmental pressures.
Bogason highlighted how the social impacts of tourism are frequently overlooked, including pressure on local services, disruption of traditional livelihoods, uneven distribution of benefits, and risks to cultural continuity. His presentation argued for moving beyond visitor numbers and spending as core indicators, towards assessments that capture how tourism affects everyday life, trust, equity, and long-term wellbeing in local and Indigenous communities.
The message to policymakers was clear: Arctic tourism strategies must assess whether tourism strengthens or undermines the social fabric of the communities that host it.
“If we want Arctic tourism to be sustainable, we need to understand not only how many people come, but how their presence affects the people who live here.”
Coexistence in Arctic coastal and marine areas
Nordregio also participated in a closed pan-Arctic roundtable on coexistence and shared use of natural resources in coastal and marine areas. At the invitation of Arctic Frontiers, researcher Myriam Chilvers contributed insights from a Nordic Council of Ministers-funded project on sustainable coexistence between offshore wind energy and fisheries.
The discussion brought together participants from the Nordic countries, Greenland, Canada, and the United States, and explored how Arctic actors are responding to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the 30×30 commitment. Key questions included how conservation areas are prioritised, how access to marine space is allocated, and what it means to give offshore wind preferential access in coastal zones.
Discussions also addressed what shapes the social and political acceptability of green industry projects such as offshore wind, as well as the key obstacles and opportunities for offshore wind development across different Arctic countries.
The roundtable outcomes will inform recommendations and examples of best practice for a pan-Arctic framework for the green shift, balancing economic development, biodiversity protection, and social sustainability.
Applied research for Arctic policy
Taken together, Nordregio’s contributions at Arctic Frontiers 2026 underline a consistent message. Whether addressing tourism, offshore wind, or marine conservation, sustainable Arctic development depends on governance approaches that integrate social considerations alongside economic and environmental goals.
Photos: Vegard Stien/norden.org, David Jensen/Arctic Frontiers and NordForsk.
