How can Arctic resilience move beyond adaptation and place Indigenous self-determination at its centre?
We are excited to share our newly published article, Building Resilient Arctic Futures Through Indigenous Knowledge and Self-Determination, developed from discussions held during the Polar Early Career World Summit (PECWS).
Drawing on insights generated through an interactive workshop that brought together almost 250 early-career researchers and participants from more than 24 countries, the article explores how resilience in the Arctic can be re-imagined through Indigenous governance, ethical knowledge co-production, and political self-determination. This publication is a direct result of collective dialogue and reflects the valuable contributions of workshop participants, who shared their perspectives on Indigenous agency, governance, and Arctic futures.
The paper highlights the multifaceted nature of resilience, stipulating that it is not a universal concept, but one that is deeply shaped by culture, relationships to land, governance systems, and local priorities. Rather than treating Indigenous Knowledge as supplementary, the article displays the importance of Indigenous-led approaches and decolonial practices that place Indigenous voices at the core of decision-making.
Using examples from across the Arctic, including Indigenous-led environmental initiatives, political participation, and reflections on Greenland’s evolving role in Arctic governance, the article examines how resilience can become a pathway toward more equitable and sustainable futures.
We hope this article contributes to ongoing conversations across the polar community and inspires further discussion on how early-career researchers can support ethical, inclusive, and community-centred approaches to Arctic research and governance.
Read the full article here.
