securing a sustainable future in the arctic

The executive summary evaluates the impact of the Circumpolar Young Leaders (CYL) program and other youth initiatives in the Arctic, highlighting the need for a coordinated regional leadership strategy to overcome systemic barriers such as biased education and a lack of local role models.

• The Circumpolar Young Leaders (CYL) program, launched in 1999, has trained 44 Canadians, two Finns, and one Russian. A 2008 survey of former participants indicated that 72% felt the program fast-tracked their career development and 72% are currently working on sustainability issues in the North.
• Various youth capacity-building programs—including scholarships, internships, and learning expeditions—have collectively supported nearly 600 youth over 11 years. These programs have successfully increased high school completion, post-secondary education pursuit, and the acquisition of skills such as geo-political awareness and the ability to bridge science and traditional knowledge.
• The Arctic region is facing significant environmental and socio-economic pressures, including the rapid loss of Arctic ice, industrial expansion, and climate change, which impact northern communities, permafrost, and species like the polar bear.
• Youth represent a critical demographic for the region's future, comprising more than half of the Arctic's indigenous population and significant portions of the population in Nunavut (62%), Northwest Territories (48%), and Yukon (38%).
• Young northern leaders face eight primary barriers: a southern-biased formal education curriculum, lack of community/family support due to historical trauma (e.g., residential schools), a shortage of local role models, low self-confidence, a feeling of tokenism in government, lack of community-level programming, limited awareness of opportunities, and difficulty transitioning from entry-level to mid-level positions.
• To improve leadership capacity, the document recommends the creation of a Regional Leadership Strategy, the integration of indigenous and western leadership teachings in schools, the establishment of a university in the North, and the development of a Training Centre for Indigenous Peoples of the North managed by indigenous groups.

APA

buckler, C., wright, L., & normand, L. (2009). securing a sustainable future in the arctic. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/securing_sustainable_future_arctic_sum.pdf

Chicago

buckler, carolee, linda wright, and laura normand. securing a sustainable future in the arctic. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2009. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/securing_sustainable_future_arctic_sum.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=buckler |first1=carolee |last2=wright |first2=linda |last3=normand |first3=laura |title=securing a sustainable future in the arctic |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=2009 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/securing_sustainable_future_arctic_sum.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{buckler2009securing, author = {buckler, carolee and wright, linda and normand, laura}, title = {{securing a sustainable future in the arctic}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2009}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/securing_sustainable_future_arctic_sum.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }