Space, Security and Sustainability in the Arctic

The Arctic is emerging as a key region in the rapidly evolving global space sector. As launch capabilities expand, commercial investment grows and societies become increasingly reliant on space-based infrastructure, developments in the sector are raising important questions about security, international cooperation, environmental governance and sustainable development.

Hosted by the NordSpace research project and the UArctic Network om Arctic-space sustainability, this event brings together researchers and experts from across Europe and North America for two panel discussions on the future of space activities in the Arctic and their wider environmental implications.

Programme

12:30-13:00 | Registration and mingling

13:00-13:05 | Welcome and introduction to the NordSpace/UArctic Network

13:05-14:15 | Panel I: A new Arctic space race?

The Arctic is emerging as a key region in the rapidly changing global space sector. As launch capabilities expand, commercial investments and dependence on space-based services grow, the High North is at the centre of debates about security, technological innovation, and strategic autonomy. But what does this mean for security, local communities, the environment, and international cooperation in the Arctic? 

This panel explores whether we are witnessing a new Arctic space race and what it could mean for the future of the region.

Moderator: Elana Wilson Rowe. 

Elana is a Professor of International Relations at the Faculty of Landscape and Society at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU). Her research focuses on Arctic governance and security, environmental politics, geopolitics, and the role of expertise and power in international and regional governance. 

Panelists:

• Katharina Glaab. Katharina is an Associate Professor of International Relations and Global Change at the Faculty of Landscape and Society at NMBU, and the Principal Investigator of the NordSpace project. Her research examines environmental governance, sustainability transitions, and the political and societal implications of expanding space activities in the Arctic.
   
• Mia Bennett. Mia is an Associate Professor of Geography at the University of Washington. Her research explores the geopolitics of infrastructure development in the Arctic and outer space, with a particular focus on frontier development, Indigenous communities, and technological change. 
   
• Ola Svenonius. Ola is a Senior Researcher at the Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI). His work focuses on security, surveillance, information influence, and the societal implications of emerging technologies and security challenges.
   
• Adam Bower. Adam is a Senior Lecturer in International Relations at the University of St Andrews. His research examines international law, global governance, arms control, and the governance and security implications of activities in outer space.

14:15-14:45 | Break 

14:45-16:00 | Panel II: Sustainability beyond Earth - what does the expansion of space activities mean for the environment?

Space-based technologies play a crucial role in advancing climate science, environmental monitoring, and disaster response. At the same time, growing satellite constellations, launch activities, and orbital debris create new environmental and governance challenges both on Earth and in outer space. 

Can the benefits of space technologies be reconciled with the goal of sustainable development, and how can tensions between security, economic growth, and sustainability be managed? 

This panel explores the interconnected environmental consequences of an expanding space sector and examines governance pathways towards more sustainable futures on Earth and in orbit.

Moderator: Katharina Glaab 

Panelists

• Xiao Shan Yap. Xiao-Shan is an Assistant Professor of Earth-Space Sustainability at Utrecht University. Her research focuses on earth-space sustainability, environmental integrity, and governance frameworks for human activities in outer space.
   
• Jean-Frédéric Morin. Jean-Frédéric is a Professor of Political Science at Université Laval and the Director of the Interdisciplinary Research Center on Global Governance. His research focuses on international institutions, global environmental governance, and space sustainability.
   
• Michael Picard. Michael is a Lecturer in International Environmental Law at the University of Edinburgh. His research examines environmental regulation, space debris, sustainability, and the governance of human activities across Earth and outer space.
   
• Alla Podznakova. Alla is a Professor of International Law at the University of Oslo. Her research focuses on space law, international law, the sustainability of the global commons, and the legal frameworks governing activities in outer space and the Arctic.

Registration

Participation is free of charge, but registration is required. You can register for one or both of the panels. Places are limited and registration is therefore binding. When registering, please select the option to receive a receipt. If you are unable to attend, please use the personal link in your receipt email to cancel your registration so that your place can be offered to someone else. If all places are filled, a waiting list will be opened.

The event will be held in English.

About NordSpace

NordSpace is a project funded by the Research Council of Norway and led by the Faculty of Landscape and Society at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU). It investigates how the expansion of space infrastructure in the Arctic affects security, environmental governance, sustainable development, and local communities in the Nordic High North. Focusing on developments in Norway, Sweden, and Iceland, the project examines the growing role of space activities in Arctic societies and environments.