UW Receives NordForsk Grant for "ARCHAIC" Arctic Project

The University Centre of the Westfjords (UW) has secured a NordForsk grant for the "ARCHAIC" project (Sustainable and Resilient Communities in remote settlements in the Arctic in the Age of Climate Change). The overall objective of the project is to generate new knowledge about current and future climate adaptation and handling of natural hazard events in remote settlements in the Arctic, fostering sustainability and resilience.  Secondary research objectives are to develop new knowledge and solutions related to 1) the climate risk picture and community resilience, 2) early warning systems, 3) relocation from high-risk areas, 4) emergency preparedness and crisis management, and 5) transfer of climate adaptation experience from the Arctic.

Matthias Kokorsch, UW’s academic director, applied for and accepted the grant on UW’s behalf, part of a very competitive process. Out of about 200 applications received by NordForsk, only nine projects were funded, with two involving UW. NordForsk has allocated a total of more than 330 million Norwegian kroner for these 9 projects as a major investment in the Arctic. "ARCHAIC" is a 3 year project that will end in 2028.

UW will take the lead in examining the relocation of communities from high-risk areas as part of the project and Matthias will be collaborating with Jóhanna Gísladóttir from LBHÍ and partners in Denmark and Norway. The interdisciplinary set-up of the research team is an original aspect of the project, since there is a lack of an interdisciplinary societal safety perspectives on climate change, natural hazards and adaptation. Experiences from the High Arctic will be valuable for other parts of the Arctic and the rest of the world.