The Arctic Frontiers 2026 conference “Turn of the Tide” was hosted from the 2nd to 5th of February in Tromsø, Norway, with wide-ranging conversations spanning Arctic Ocean observing systems, impacts of climate change, and geopolitical pressures on the Arctic. The prime minister of Norway attended, as well as political representatives from several Arctic nations.
There were panel discussions on Arctic infrastructure and defence, which has come to the forefront so dramatically in recent years, but also a strong focus on climate change and the implications – biological, social, and geopolitical, of an ice-free Arctic Ocean. The event included the launch of Norway’s Arctic Ocean 2050 programme, a one billion NOK (£77m) commitment to funding research in the Arctic Ocean over the next 10 years.
ScAN’s intern, Hayley McLennan, presented a poster on the impact of climate-driven changes in the zooplankton community on bowhead whales in Disko Bay, Greenland. Lauren McWhinnie, the Steering Group member for Heriot-Watt University, also attended the conference.
The conference coincided with Sámi Week, which celebrates the culture of the indigenous people of northern Scandinavia and the Kola Peninsula. The Sámi National Day was on the 6th of February, and people attending Arctic Frontiers were able to enjoy the Norwegian National Reindeer Racing Championships and a wide-ranging celebration of Sámi life.
