INTERNATIONAL ARCTIC CONFERENCE. GEOPOLITICAL ISSUES AND EQUATIONS IN THE 21ST CENTURY
Salle de conférences, Caisse d’Epargne, 42 bd Eugène Deruelle, Lyon 3, Metro Part-Dieu Vivier Merle
Lyon, 22-23 November 2010
Presentation In the Arctic, climatic warming is twice as marked as in the rest of the world and the arctic territories are being transformed. The shrinking of the permanent sea ice cover is opening up navigation through the North-West and the North-East passages and massive possibilities are opening up for exploiting the resources of the ocean floor and of its surrounding coastline : oil, gas, uranium, coal, gas hydrates…. 20% of the world’s energy reserves are now thought to be found in the Arctic. The five States bordering on the Arctic (Canada, the United-States, Russia, Denmark/Greenland, Norway) are trying to maintain their national sovereignty over portions of the Arctic Ocean or to increase it through extending it onto the continental shelf. The Russian Federation is claiming a sector, which stretches as far as the North Pole. The ecological impact of climatic warming, already clearly evident, would be further aggravated by any industrialisation of the Arctic. The impact is also a human and social one for the Arctic Native populations. Faced with this situation, are existing juridical arrangements adequate ? What role can be played in the protection of the Arctic by international organisations and institutions (the Arctic Council, the European Union…), or even more so by existing organisations for regional cooperation ? To what extent are the Native populations listened to and in a position to participate in decisions concerning the administering and management of the Arctic ? By bringing together geophysicists, political scientists, jurists, geographers and historians, this international conference intends to discuss and analyse what is at stake in these present controversies, to clarify modes of governance, to explore the possibility of international regulation, in brief to throw scientific light on this urgent and increasingly controversial topic of major geopolitical interest.
The Conference objectives are threefold : − To bring together a variety of scientific expertise to stimulate debate and promote further research in the academic world (researchers and students) − To disseminate the state of knowledge on the transformation of the Arctic and its governance to a larger public − To influence official policy
The Conference is organised around four themes, arranged in the following sessions : − The Arctic : a geographic space in transformation − The Native peoples, political actors − Frontiers and international law − Regional and international regulations
Programme
22 November
Opening speech : His Excellency Marc Lortie, Ambassador of Canada in France
Introductory Conference : His Excellency Michel Rocard, Ambassador of France for international negociations on the polar regions, the Arctic and Antarctic, former Prime Minister, 1988-1991, France
Scientific Committee Dr Alain FAURE, UMR 5194,¬ PACTE, CNRS/Grenoble Institute of Political Science, University of Grenoble 2, Director of the Grenoble Centre for Canadian Studies, Grenoble, France Professor Louis FORTIER, biologist, Scientific Director of ArcticNet, Laval University, Canada Professor Frédéric LASSERRE, Department of Geography, Institut Québecois des Hautes Etudes Internationales (IQHEI), Laval University, Director of the Observatory of International Research on Water (ORIE), Canada Dr Cécile PELAUDEIX, Consultant researcher, Consultant to the « Cercle Polaire », Paris, France Mr Joël PLOUFFE, Observatoire sur les Etats-Unis, Chaire Raoul-Dandurand in strategic and diplomatic Studies, Université du Québec à Montréal, Canada Professor Eric MOTTET, Unité Chaire Raoul-Dandurand in strategic and diplomatic Studies, Université du Québec à Montréal, Canada Dr Jérôme WEISS, UMR 5183, Geophysician, Glaciology and Environment Geophysics Laboratory, CNRS /University of Grenoble 1, France
Organisation Centre d’Etudes Canadiennes de Grenoble – Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Grenoble – Université Pierre Mendès France – PACTE IEP BP 48 38040 Grenoble Cedex 9 FRANCE
Information : cec38@upmf-grenoble.fr
Centre Jacques Cartier – 26, Place Bellecour 69002 Lyon FRANCE – Contact : T : + 33 (0)4 78 60 76 03 – Amandine.Bresselle@centrejacquescartier.com – n.boutinaud@orange.fr
Practical Information Dates 22 and 23 November 2010
Place Lyon, France – Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie – Place de la Bourse – 69289 Lyon Cedex 02 – France – Metro : “Cordeliers” station
Registration Fees (lunch not included) :
Public Academic : 100 € (for the two days)
General public : 40 € (for the two days)
Students : free
The registration fee gives admission to the conference sessions. The languages of the Conference are French and English.
How to Register : The application form is available to download on the website of the Centre d’Etudes canadiennes de Grenoble. http://www.pacte.cnrs.fr/spip.php ?rubrique123 and on the website of the Centre Jacques Cartier. To be sent to the Centre Jacques Cartier. Centre Jacques Cartier Fondation Mérieux 17 rue Bourgelat 69002 Lyon Contact : T : +33 (0)4 78 60 76 03 Amandine.Bresselle@centrejacquescartier.com n.boutinaud@orange.fr
Programme
Sunday 21 November
Opening of the 23rd « Entretiens du Centre Jacques Cartier », Lyon Cocktail Reception
Monday 22 November
8h30 Welcome and registration
9h00 Opening of the Conference and introductory conference
- Alain Faure (CNRS/IEP, Grenoble), Cécile Pelaudeix, (Consultant researcher)
- Opening speech : His Excellency Marc Lortie, Ambassador of Canada in France
- Introductory Conference : His Excellency Michel Rocard, Ambassador of France for international negociations on the polar regions, the Arctic and Antarctic, former Prime Minister, 1988-1991, France
10h00 : COFFEE BREAK
10h15 A geographic space in transformation
- Alain Royer (University of Sherbrooke), Towards new Arctic landscapes and ecosystems ?
- Jérôme Weiss (CNRS/University of Grenoble 1), Towards an ice-free Arctic Ocean ?
- Louis Fortier (Laval University), The impact on the ecosystemic services of the Arctic Ocean
Moderator : Jean-Claude Gascard (University of Paris 6)
13h00 : LUNCH BREAK
14h30 The Indigenous peoples as political actors
- William L. Iggiagruk Hensley (First Alaskan Institute)
- Heather Nicol (Trent University), Canadian Arctic Security and Climate Change : Where Traditional Security « Fits »
- Cécile Pelaudeix (Consultant Researcher), Inuit governance : a political or a scientific project ?
COFFEE BREAK
- Natalie Novik (Northern Forum), Indigenous peoples of Russia as political actors
- Jessica Shadian (Bodø Graduate School for Business, Norway), Towards a Framework for Collaborative Arctic Sustainable Resource Management : Learning from Indigenous Governance Models
Moderator : Joël Plouffe, UQAM
18h00 : End of day’s proceedings
Tuesday 23 November
8h30 Welcome and Registration
9h00 Opening of the day’s proceedings
Frédéric Lasserre, Laval University
9h15 Frontiers and international law
- Paule Halley (Laval University), Sustainable development and sovereignty in the Arctic
- Frédéric Lasserre (Laval University), The frontiers of the Arctic continental shelves : the primacy of law or a frantic free-for-all ?
COFFEE BREAK
- Joël Plouffe (UQÀM), The Obama administration and the North-West passage : rethinking the American pragmatism in Arctic ?
- Anne Choquet (University of Western Brittany, Brest), Towards a polar code for maritime navigation in the polar seas : when the Arctic and the Antarctic get closer
Moderator : Michael Bravo (University of Cambridge)
13h00 LUNCH BREAK
14h30 Regional and International Regulations
- Paul Arthur Berkman (University of Cambridge), Balancing National Interests and Common Interests in the Arctic Ocean
- Alexander N. Vylegzhanin (Moscow State Institute of International Relations), Economic activities in the Arctic Ocean : International, Regional, and National Regulation
- Michael Bravo (University of Cambridge), Science, Expertise, and Democratizing Futures in the Arctic
COFFEE BREAK
- Lassi Heininen (University of Lapland), Rovaniemi, Northern geopolitics : Change(s) on Northern Geopolitics : from a Frontier to a Region (of Peace)
- Clive Archer (Manchester Metropolitan University), The European Union and Regional and International Regulations for the Arctic : Beggar at the Feast ?
Moderator : Frédéric Lasserre, Laval University
17h30 Conclusion by a prominent witness
- Robert Griffiths, Emeritus Professor in History and English Studies, Université de Savoie
The Participants
- Clive Archer Emeritus Professor in European Security, Département of Politics and Philosophy, Manchester Metropolitan University, and Research Associate Geopolitics in the High North
- Paul Arthur Berkman Head, Arctic Ocean Geopolitics Programme, Scott Polar Research Institute, Judge Business school, University of Cambridge, Fulbright Distinguished Scholar and Research Professor, Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA
- Michael Bravo Senior Lecturer, Department of Geography, University of Cambridge
- Anne Choquet Doctor of law, Legal expert and Lecturer at the University of Western Brittany, Brest
- Alain Faure CNRS Researcher in Political science (UMR 5194), Director of the Grenoble Centre for Canadian Studies, Member of the PACTE Laboratory, Institute of Political Science, Grenoble
- Louis Fortier Professor, Department of Biology and Scientific Director of ArcticNet, Laval University, Quebec
- Jean-Claude Gascard Emeritus Research Director, CNRS (UMR 7159)
- William L. Iggiagruk Hensley, Chair of the First Alaskan Institute
- Paule Halley Professor, Canadian Research Chair in Environmental Law, Laval University, Director of research group on international and transnational legal aspects of economic integration (AJIT)
- Lassi Heininen Professor, Department of political science, University of Lapland, Rovaniemi
- Frédéric Lasserre Professor, Department of Geography, Laval University, Project Manager, ArcticNet, Researcher, Institut Hydro-Québec en Environnement, Développement et société (IEDS).
- Heather Nicol Associate Professor, Department of Geography, Trent University
- Cécile Pelaudeix PhD, Consultant researcher, Consultant to the Cercle Polaire, Paris
- Joël Plouffe PhD Candidate, Observatory on the United-States, Raoul-Dandurand Chair in Strategic and Diplomatic studies, University of Quebec at Montreal
- Michel Rocard, Ambassador of France for international negociations on the polar regions, the Arctic and Antarctic, former Prime Minister, 1988-1991, France
- Alain Royer Professor, Director of the Centre for Application and Research in Teledetection (CARTEL), University of Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
- Jessica Shadian Political Science and International Relations Senior Researcher, High North Center for Business and Governance, Bodø Graduate School for Business, Norway
- Natalie Novik, Director of Programme, The Northern Forum, Alaska
- Alexander N. Vylegzhanin Professor, Doctor of Law, Head of the Chair of International Law, Moscow State Institute Of International Relations (MGIMO-University)
- Jérôme Weiss Research Director, CNRS, Laboratory of Glaciology and Geophysics of the environment, Grenoble