Arctic Frontiers International Conference: final impressions

The international Arctic Frontiers conference is wrapping up in Tromso, Norway. Our reporter Eilis Quinn gives some of her impressions on the event

Eilis says that while the main discussions, panels, and individual speakers were interesting, also interesting was what was happening as people discussed those issues later amongst themselves. She says overall she was very impressed with the organization of the conference.

She notes that many were chatting about how economic conditions, the current economic downturn especially relating to petroleum prices, would affect development in the north.

She says many questions about the future were asked, but there were few answers and few of the speakers dealt with the subject either.

Also of interest was the fact that many speakers, politicians and business executives spoke about the need for aboriginal input and how valuable it was, but when aboriginals spoke they noted how actually very little has changed and they’re still not being properly included in planning.

As a Canadian she was constantly also being asked about Canada’s plans for the Arctic, especially with a new government in place. Many were very interested to learn more, but as it is a new government, what direction it might take in the Arctic is still an unknown.