Space and the Arctic: Why Space Capabilities Are Important for Sustainable Arctic Development

Recorded January 27, 2015 The Arctic region is changing rapidly, allowing for new opportunities to learn more about this remote area, use it to expand economic development, and build off it for national security and political benefits. However, there are challenges involved in ensuring that there is assured access to the Arctic, monitoring the physical changes it is undergoing, using the Arctic in a sustainable manner, and creating a stable environment for a region that could be the site of disputed land claims.  Space plays an important role in monitoring conditions in the Arctic and in enabling the management of resources there. Given that the United States will assume the chairmanship of the intergovernmental Arctic Council in April, this panel discussion examined the implications of changing Arctic conditions and how space can help improve understanding of and mitigate the disruption from those changes. For more information, please visit the event page. Speakers Dr. Claire Parkinson, Climate Change Senior Scientist, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center CDR Ronald Piret, Arctic Affairs Officer, Task Force Climate Change (TFCC), U.S. Navy Major Charity Weeden, Assistant Attaché Air & Space Operations, Canadian Defence Liaison Staff Washington Dr. Amy Sun, Military Space Narrowband Advanced Programs Lead, Lockheed Martin Mr. Michael J. Young, Arctic Affairs Officer, Office of Ocean and Polar Affairs, U.S. Department of State