Arctic Initiative Empowering bottom-up transformations to sustainability

This fact sheet outlines the International Institute for Sustainable Development's (IISD) Arctic Initiative, which focuses on supporting bottom-up transformations to sustainability in the Arctic region. The initiative addresses root causes of sustainability challenges through four primary areas: climate change adaptation and food security, extractive industries, infrastructure and renewable energy development, and transformative knowledge.

• The Arctic region is experiencing rapid climate change, with average temperatures increasing at nearly twice the global average rate over the last 100 years. This has resulted in the North Pole ice cap shrinking by approximately 40 per cent since 1980, with predictions of ice-free summers within 30 to 40 years, causing biodiversity loss and threatening food security for indigenous communities.
• Environmental changes in the Arctic are increasing interest in industrial-scale shipping and resource extraction from Arctic countries and external actors, including China, India, and the European Union. Specifically, cargo ship transits through the Northern Sea Route rose from 5 in 2009 to 71 in 2013.

APA

International Institute for Sustainable Development (n.d.). Arctic Initiative Empowering bottom-up transformations to sustainability. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/IISD_Arctic_Brochure_2014_online.pdf

Chicago

International Institute for Sustainable Development. Arctic Initiative Empowering bottom-up transformations to sustainability. n.d. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/IISD_Arctic_Brochure_2014_online.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |title=Arctic Initiative Empowering bottom-up transformations to sustainability |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/IISD_Arctic_Brochure_2014_online.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopmentndarctic, author = {{International Institute for Sustainable Development}}, title = {{Arctic Initiative Empowering bottom-up transformations to sustainability}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/IISD_Arctic_Brochure_2014_online.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }