ARCtic Urban SUStainability in Russia

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The objective of ARCSUS is to advance a new research frontier by expanding understanding of Arctic urban sustainability in Russia. The project will bring together an international, multi-disciplinary team of scholars to research and examine the impact of energy resource development, extractive industries, demographic trends, and climate change on the ability of urban settlements in Russia's Arctic region to exist in a sustainable way with their environment. While there is considerable research on various aspects of Arctic sustainability, few works take a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary approach to addressing the role of cities and their related industries. ARCSUS is divided into 6 Work Packages covering: 1) Natural Resources - How can Russia best develo p its Arctic energy resources in a sustainable way that does not do extensive damage to the environment?; 2) Climate Change ? What is the impact of permafrost thawing on Russia?s urban Arctic settlements?; 3) Social sustainability ? How are trends in demo graphy, migration, and urban relations with indigenous peoples affecting the social fabric of Russia?s Arctic urban areas?; 4) Ecological Footprint ? How do Russian Arctic cities interact with their immediate environment?; 5) Russia's Arctic in Global Per spective; and 6) Networking Activities. The central activity WP6 will be annual meetings over the 3-year period in Norway, Russia, and North America to facilitate networking among scholars studying Arctic issues in the US, Canada, Europe, and Russia. The activities of ARCSUS will include interdisciplinary field research in the Russian Arctic in comparative perspective with other Arctic regions. Importantly, the outreach component of ARCSUS is not only to create and develop a network on urban sustainabili ty, but also to create courses and graduat-level projects that will enhance the execution and the outcomes of the project.