Successful 18th Polar Law Symposium in Nuuk

The event was organized by Rachael Lorna Johnstone and Romain Chuffart from the University of Akureyri, in collaboration with Maria Ackrén from Ilisimatusarfik (the University of Greenland).

This year marked the 18th Polar Law Symposium and the second time it was hosted in Nuuk. Greenland is currently a focal point of Arctic studies, and this year's event attracted a high level of interest. The symposium brought together over 150 participants from 23 countries, but due to high demand, not everyone who wanted to attend was able to participate.

Environmental Law and the Right to Self-Determination Among the Topics

The symposium provided a platform for engaging and thought-provoking discussions, where a diverse array of experts presented varied perspectives on pressing issues concerning the polar regions. The symposium featured distinguished keynote speakers. Dr Sara Olsvig, International Chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Council; Ambassador Kenneth Høegh, Chair of the Senior Arctic Officials of the Arctic Council for 2025-2027; and Dr Alan Hemmings, specialist on Antarctic governance and Adjunct Professor at Gateway Antarctica, University of Canterbury. Each set an inspiring tone with their presentations.

UNAK scholars participated in numerous panels covering a range of topics, including environmental law and policy, just transition and meaningful engagement, rights of Indigenous Peoples and self-determination, climate commodification, mining, international law and displaced archives, and Antarctic governance. Five students from the Polar Law program, alongside four students from Ilisimatusarfik, contributed insights during a panel organized by the project “New Insights in Polar Law” funded by the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC).

The Prime Minister of Iceland stopped by the UNAK booth

The Polar Law Symposium took place at Hotel Hans Egede in the center of Nuuk, but activities extended beyond the hotel's conference rooms. On the day prior to the symposium, Hildur Sólveig Elvarsdóttir, project manager at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, represented UNAK during career days at Ilisimatusarfik, where she received a visit from Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir, who was on her first official visit to Greenland.

Additionally, the Consulate General of Iceland in Nuuk hosted a reception for the conference participants, and the EU-Commission's Office in Nuuk, having opened its doors last year, invited attendees to gather for coffee and cake, providing an opportunity to discuss the relationship between Greenland and the EU, and the significance of Polar Law for Greenland.

Polar Law emphasizes the importance of the rule of law and international cooperation in addressing challenges in the polar regions. The annual Polar Law Symposium has established itself as an important platform for sharing research-based scientific knowledge on a variety of issues relevant to the Arctic and Antarctica. Each year, the symposium attracts numerous scholars and experts from around the world, across academic disciplines. The 19th Polar Law Symposium will be held at the University of Waikato in Aotearoa (New Zealand) from 9-11 November 2026.