WWF Global Arctic Programme at Arctic Frontiers, 2026

WWF Global Arctic Programme will be present at Arctic Frontiers 2026 and participate in a range of sessions on everything from effective conservation in a rapidly changing Arctic Ocean to how the industry can positively contribute to biodiversity. 

More information on the sessions and the complete programme can be found on Arctic Frontiers’ website.

mONDAY

Nature and Culture in the Anthropocene – 9:00–10:30

Our Director, Vicki Lee Wallgren, will join a panel organised by the University of Bergen, examining the geological period we call the Anthropocene – the man-made planet. In a time of dramatic climate change, our oceans and the communities living by the sea are especially affected.

The panel will address something fundamental in the way we think in the Anthropocene, formulated around the distinction between nature and culture. Is it possible to imagine knowledge that is no longer divided into social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences?

How can the industry positively contribute to biodiversity? – 13:30–15:00

WWF Global Arctic Programme’s Director, Vicki Lee Wallgren, will join a panel bringing together leading voices from industry actors, government agencies, researchers, and NGOs on how collaboration can unlock solutions that balance development with ecological integrity.

The panel will cover a range of topics, including how we can contribute to industrial development while promoting biodiversity growth, how to avoid greenwashing, and where to set the bar in terms of positive contributions.

High Seas Biodiversity Conservation and Use in the Arctic – 15:30–17:00

In June 2023, in one of the most significant steps taken in decades to promote protection of marine biodiversity, governments overwhelmingly adopted what is often referred to as the High Seas Treaty – the “Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction.” But what are the real implications of this treaty for the Arctic?

Our Director, Vicki Lee Wallgren, will join a panel discussing key questions about the treaty and the Arctic, such as: How does the treaty apply to the Arctic Ocean? How likely is it that the treaty will establish new marine protected areas there? How will the treaty interact with existing institutions such as the Central Arctic Ocean Fisheries Agreement? How will the treaty function in the Arctic if countries like China, Norway, and EU Member States join, but Russia and the United States do not?

TUESDAY

Building What Outlives Us: Arctic Youth in Unison – 13:30–15:00

Across the circumpolar region, young people are organising, influencing, and re-imagining what the Arctic can become, yet their initiatives often evolve in isolation. We need to move beyond repeated calls for youth engagement and instead align strengths to deliver a unified message and build genuine, widespread advocacy. Ronja Wedegärtner, Project Leader at WWF Global Arctic Programme, will join the session together with leading youth organisations of the Arctic to share experiences, uncover systemic barriers, and chart concrete pathways toward coordinated and lasting influence in Arctic governance.

Systematic Arctic Marine Conservation Planning: WWF’s ArcNet initiative and spatial planning tool (part of Climate Change and Cumulative Effects on Ecosystems) – 13:30–15:00

Dr. Martin Sommerkorn, Head of Conservation at WWF Global Arctic Programme, will be one of the presenters during this session.

wEDNESDAY

Effective Conservation in a Rapidly Changing Arctic Ocean (part of Climate Change and Cumulative Effects on Ecosystems) – 13:30–15:00

Ronja Wedegärtner, Project Leader at WWF Global Arctic Programme, will participate in this session.

THURSDAY

Nature-based Solutions – 9:00–10:30

Nature-based Solutions may offer a timely, integrative approach to bolster ecosystem resilience, support culturally significant species and areas, and buffer climate-driven impacts in a region changing at exceptional rates. Embedding Nature-based Solutions within Area-based Management would enable the prioritisation of areas that maximise biodiversity, ecosystem services, and community wellbeing while enhancing ecological connectivity.

Dr. Martin Sommerkorn, Head of Conservation at WWF Global Arctic Programme, will join a panel of cross-sectoral experts who will provide opening remarks, present their perspectives, and will be challenged in a moderated panel debate to converge on identifying potential timely implementation pathways toward equitable, nature-positive outcomes for Arctic marine ecosystems.