The North Slope Arctic Scenarios Project (NASP): Envisioning Desirable Futures and Strategizing Pathways for Sustainable Healthy Communities

University Of Alaska Fairbanks Campus, Fairbanks AK

Investigators

Abstract

This ArcSEES proposal for the North Slope Arctic Scenarios Project (NASP) involves multiple organizations and stakeholders across the North Slope and Northwest Arctic Boroughs in partnership with UAF, NSSI, ION, and ANTHC. Faculty members, students, and a broad range of experts drawn from stakeholder communities will collaborate to explore options for sustainable development in the North. NASP employs proven and advanced approaches to engage North Slope communities in developing and analyzing scenarios visions for the future and plausible pathways - for effective strategic planning and implementation of policy. NASP develops products and applies new tools at the intersection of climate model output, information products from observing networks, and different knowledge systems to facilitate sustainable healthy communities. NASP will identify key uncertainties and indicator variables for specific scenarios (i) translating them into guidance for optimization of Arctic observing systems, and (ii) synthesizing scenarios-derived findings, variables and spatially explicit scenarios and climate model projections using the NSSI geospatial data framework for stakeholder planning. The project explicitly fosters the emergence of communities of practice (CoPs), engages teachers and students at the secondary and tertiary level, and generates scientific deliverables that contribute to improved understanding and observations of Arctic change.