Alaska

SM Lassi H

 

«We are going through the times of turbulence, times of uncertainty in politics, but the Arctic states are committed to cooperation».

 

Lassi Heininen,

Professor, Editor-in-Chief of the Arctic Yearbook

(Photo: Getty Images) The Northern Region has many faces. Historically it has been veiled by an aura of mystique, a frozen wonderland untouched both by the outside and the effects of industrialization, populated by a mysterious group of people from a different phase in the history of man. As interesting and romantic this notion may seem, it holds little or no truth in the Arctic today.

The Arctic is literally on top of the world, the earth rotating around the two poles, in the North and the South. But the Arctic is not just about the North Pole - the Arctic region stretches much further in all directions, even splitting the earth into the East and the West, famous identities in the world history.

Once a joke about vast wilderness where nobody ever went, the Arctic is becoming increasingly popular in many ways making the life of the 4 million people living in the region both scary and exiting at the same time.

Climate change is the one major denominator for the change in the region today. Because of its clear visibility in the Arctic, peoples eyes have moved north in recent years.

While the melting sea ice has led to problems for local people to practice their traditional livelihoods, it has also created unprecedented opportunities, including shipping in the Arctic. By sailing through the Arctic Ocean, the shipping route from Europe to Asia is significantly shorter and therefore very attractive for shipping companies.

In addition, enormous amounts of resources lie in the area, including oil and gas reserves that are extremely valuable. Resource exploitation has already begun, but the challenges are many when the area is so big and so far from any infrastructure.

The Arctic is thus both an industrial region, as well as a region in close connection to its history and culture. A mixture of traditional subsistence activities as well as a part of the global market economy. The new and the old submerge to strengthen each other with new technology and knowledge, contributing to a cultural rejuvenation occurring in the Arctic.

With more research and more interest from policy makers in the Arctic, they eyes of the media has also cantered further to the north. With more media attention the general public learns more and more about the Arctic.

But what exactly is in the Arctic? Who lives there? What animals live there? What is it all about? The Arctic Portlet seeks to answer all the general questions about this exciting area giving the readers an insightful peek into one of the world's last true wildernesses.

 

Learn about the Arctic from the Arctic Portlet.

20 Jun 2025
Northern Forum Working Meeting: Preparing for the XVI General Assembly Saint Petersburg, Russia

June 17, 2025, a working meeting of the international organization of northern regions, "Northern Forum," was held at the Russian State Hydrometeorological University (RSHU).

Northern Forum
20 Jun 2025
RACAR Roundtable Discusses Preparation for the Fifth International Polar Year 2032-2033

Saint Petersburg. On June 17, a roundtable of the Russian-Asian Consortium for Arctic Research (RACAR) was held at the Russian State Hydrometeorological University, dedicated to planning the Fifth International [ ... ]

Northern Forum
29 Apr 2025
Northern Forum Teenage Climate Ambassador elected

On April 28, the Final of the annual international competition "Teenage Climate Ambassador of the Northern Forum" was held among students of schools-members of Schools Association of the Northern Forum

Northern Forum
23 Apr 2025
Tomsk scientists developed a comprehensive model for assessing regions

By 2026, profiles of the northern regions of Russian Federation will be compiled.

Partners
22 Apr 2025
Northern Territories Consortiums to Discuss Arctic Development at Tomsk Forum

The Third International Forum of Associations and Consortiums of the Northern Territories (FACNT-2025), dedicated to the sustainable development of the Arctic, started at Tomsk State University on Monday. [ ... ]

Partners
22 Apr 2025
Vladimir Vasilev spoke in an interview about results of the Northern Forum events in India

Vladimir Vasilev, Executive Director of the Northern Forum told Yakutia 24 TV channel about the results of the Northern Forum events in India, and future plans in program “Aktualnoe interview”.

Northern Forum

Upcoming Events

Disclaimer

The events list is provided as an non-parcial overview of upcoming events in and about the Arctic and the North, for the interest and benefit of all stakeholders.
The events listed and their administration are the responsibility of the individual events organisers.
All content on the events website, a link may be provided to through this events calendar, is the sole responsibility of the individual organiser.

  

Members of the Northern Forum

6th Northern Sustainable Development Forum

II half of 2025
Yakutsk, Russia

Board of Governors
Regional Coordinators Committee (RCC)
Business Partners
Goodwill Ambassadors
Northern Youth Forum

Northern Youth Forum

The Northern Youth Forum (NYF) is a youth wing of the Northern Forum, consisting of representatives of young people from the age of 16 to 40 years.

Mission of the NYF is to strengthen the spirit of trust and cooperation between young representatives of Northern regions and countries at the stage of personal and professional views’ formation.

Goal of the NYF is to promote the interests and views of young people in solving the problems facing the Northern Forum by using the potential of international youth cooperation.