Report on The Arctic Circle Greenland Forum 2022
Reported by Hiroyuki ENOMOTO (NIPR)
The Arctic Circle Greenland Forum (ACGF) 2022 was held at the Catuak Cultural Center in Nuuk. ACGF2022 is a continuation of the previous forum in 2016. The focus of the 2022 Greenland Forum is climate and prosperity and geopolitics and progress.
ACGF had 400 participants from more than 25 countries, and 220 presenters in 50 sessions gave lectures and panel discussions. From Japan, Mr. Takewaka, the Ambassador in charge of Arctic Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ms. Oshiro, First Secretary of the Embassy of Japan in Denmark, Dr. Hataya and Mr. Kakudate of the Ocean Policy Research Institute (OPRI) of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation (SPF) and Enomoto from the National Institute of Polar Research (NIPR). The forum, “THE ARCTIC AND JAPAN: PARTNERS IN RESEARCH AND INNOVATION” planned by OPRI was held, with Enomoto acting as moderator, and the following speakers from Japan and abroad gave presentations and answered questions.
・Sakiko Hataya, OPRI/SPF
・Jennifer Mercer, Arctic Sciences Section, NSF
・Lee Miller, Institute of Biology, University of Southern Denmark
・Sten Lund, Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Church, Greenland
・Lindsay Arthur, Associate Scientist, Stefánsson Arctic Institute
In the session, after introducing Japan’s Arctic policy, Japan’s Arctic research activities, research cooperation with the United States and Greenland, ASM3 co-hosted by Japan in 2021, and future cooperation activities to be promoted were also introduced.
Mr. Takewaka, the Ambassador in charge of Arctic Affairs introduced Japan’s policy on Arctic science and its role as a non-Arctic country in two panels, which was successful in gaining the understanding and expectations of each country. Ambassador’s session and panel:
・Keynote Speech at THE VIEW FROM ASIA
・Panel: PEACEFUL COOPERATION IN THE ARCTIC
The Arctic Circle Assembly will also be held in Reykjavik in October this year, and it is expected that movements such as new roles will begin next year, the 10th year since the Arctic Circle was established in 2013.