The open seminar on Science Diplomacy in the Arctic took place December in Rovaniemi, Finland and online. In the opening remarks, the vice-rector of research at the University of Lapland, Professor Soili Nystén-Haarala, underlined the critical importance of academic collaboration in tackling and coping with the climate crisis. After that, Dr. Melody Brown Burkins, Director of the Institute of Arctic Studies at Dartmouth College, UArctic Chair in Science Diplomacy and Inclusion (Mimir), and Vice-Lead for the Model Arctic Council (MAC) Thematic Network, lectured about the concept of science diplomacy and explained it in practice shapes Arctic research and diplomacy. Active discussion took place about the importance of inclusion and ethical and urgent actions to tackle the climate crisis.
Following this, a panel discussion titled Are We on the Highway to Climate Hell? The Role(s) and Responsibilities of Academia examined what Academia could and should do to address the climate crisis. Warming in the Arctic is occurring at a rate four times faster than the global average, placing the region at the forefront of what UN Secretary-General António Guterres calls "climate hell". The urgency increases if President-elect Donald Trump’s administration withdraws the United States from the Paris Agreement. Scientists emphasize that the effort to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius will largely depend on actions taken during the 2020s. Universities are essential in this effort, as they produce scientific knowledge, provide education, and develop innovative solutions to tackle global challenges.