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Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment of Develop-
ment of the Arctic
This project aims to strengthen communication and out-
reach on the European Union´s responses to addressing
the challenges induced by a rapidly changing and devel-
oping Arctic. GRID-Arendal, attended the kick-off meeting
for this project in Rovaniemi, Finland, in February 2013.
Stakeholder consultations took place in October 2013 and
a follow-up meeting is scheduled for January 2014. GRID-
Arendal will facilitate the consultations, and lead the pro-
duction of a stakeholder recommendation report follow-
ing these meetings.71
Arctic NGO Forum
The kick-off meeting of the Arctic NGO Forum took place
in Arendal in January 2012. The Arctic NGO forum is a
3-year project to promote a platform for NGOs with an
Arctic agenda and interest in working together and to
provide advice to the European Union (EU) as it devel-
ops Arctic policies. It is financed by the EU and coordi-
nated jointly by GRID-Arendal and Ecorys, Netherlands.
The first meeting agreed the Forum’s modus operandi. In
November 2012, the Arctic NGO Forum held a workshop
in Haparanda, Sweden, to examine the implications of oil
and gas development in the Polar Regions. The workshop
brought together NGOs working in the Arctic, EU repre-
sentatives, researchers and indigenous peoples. A plan-
ning meeting was held in April 2013 and a workshop on
Arctic marine issues was held in the autumn of 2013.
other mountain/cryosphere work outside the
MFA work programme
Himalayan Climate Change Adaptation Programme
(HICAP)
GRID-Arendal continues to be an active partner in HICAP,
which is funded by the Norwegian Government through
CICERO:
71. GRID-Arendal is one of nineteen partners in this project, which
brings together leading Arctic research and communication
centres and universities, and is headed by the Arctic Centre of the
University of Lapland.
– In August 2012 GRID-Arendal took part in the HI-
CAP Regional Review and Planning Workshop hosted
by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain
Development (ICIMOD) in Kathmandu, Nepal. The
workshop was designed to: (i) enhance interactions
and understanding among HICAP partners; (ii) review
HICAP activities and achievements; (iii) identify new/
potential areas of partnership; and, (iv) draft the work
plan to December 2013.
– GRID-Arendal attended the Bhutan+10 Conference on
Gender and Sustainable Mountain Development in a
Changing World held in in October 2012. The confer-
ence brought together stakeholders from the Hindu
Kush-Himalayan region and beyond and provided
GRID-Arendal with an opportunity to conducted inter-
views, take photos and videos, and gather other data
for future HICAP publication projects.
– GRID-Arendal and ICIMOD organized a training work-
shop in Nepal, February 2013, for journalists from
Nepal, India, Pakistan and China. Over the six days
of active training, the 20 participants produced sto-
ries, video, and photo features about climate change
related subjects. The workshop was facilitated by expe-
rienced senior reporters associated with international
media.
– In March 2013 the Directors of the three partner organi-
sations, CICERO, ICIMOD, and GRID-Arendal, met for
the Promoters Meeting of HICAP in Kathmandu, Nepal.
It was agreed that GRID-Arendal has specific responsi-
bilities relating to the HICAP communication strategy
and the joint production of a food security report.
– Also in March 2013, GRID-Arendal visited HICAP72
project sites in the North East Indian state of Assam
where recent climatic changes are making the annual
flooding season more erratic and unpredictable, and
ultimately affecting the livelihoods of thousands of
people. The site visits provided greater clarity on two
thematic areas that HICAP will focus on in coming
years: ecosystem services73 and food security.74
72.
73.
74.