SINTEF, the Danish University of Technology and the University of Århus (DK), will host a workshop on "Wastewater Management in the Arctic – search for synergies in pan-Arctic perspectives for sustainable development of Arctic settlements (WM-Arctic)", in Longyearbyen, Svalbard, for 2 days during fall 2024. The workshop will bring together an interdisciplinary group of national and international researchers, authorities, NGOs/community actors, and other stakeholders relevant for wastewater management in coastal Arctic communities, enabling scientists and representatives to meet, exchange knowledge and discuss the scientific basis for developing best practices for wastewater management adjusted to the Arctic conditions.
The workshop will work as a venue for a discussion on best practices for Arctic wastewater management as a driver for sustainable development in the Arctic, and on future possibilities for new scientific cooperation and collaboration within Svalbard, and between Svalbard and pan-Arctic research entities. Several outcomes are expected from the workshop:
- Increased knowledge and understanding of challenges and successful wastewater management strategies in Svalbard and pan-Arctic settlements.
- Synergies between projects on wastewater management and marine ecosystem surveillance/restoration in Svalbard and the pan-Arctic as a basis for establishing best practices for sustainable wastewater management solutions in pan-Arctic settlements.
- Increased scientific collaboration between localities on Svalbard (e.g. Longyerabyen and Ny-Ålesund) and between Svalbard and pan-Arctic locations (Greenland, Iceland, Faroe Islands)
- Placing Svalbard in the pan-Arctic perspective
Arctic communities strive to manage wastewater and reduce wastewater pollution. However, knowledge is often siloed within project-specific initiatives. This workshop will promote sharing of knowledge and experiences from site specific research and initiatives on wastewater management and marine ecosystem surveillance/restoration on Svalbard and beyond, promote synergies between previous and ongoing projects, and place the research topic in a pan-Arctic perspective for sustainable development in Svalbard. The workshop aims to gather relevant actors from research, local and central authorities, education, tourist industry, local general public, and other stakeholders of relevance for wastewater management on Svalbard and other Arctic coastal locations.
Drivers justifying this workshop are the needs for: i) identifying knowledge gaps for improved wastewater management and pollution control from Arctic coastal communities to marine recipients; ii) optimization and synergies between previous and ongoing projects; iii) establishing best practices for Arctic wastewater management in the context of sustainable development in the Arctic; iv) creating opportunities for pan-Arctic collaboration and utilizing the potential of sustainable wastewater management to serve as a co-driver for sustainable development in Svalbard. These challenges require a need for swift actions due to climate warming and increased anthropogenic impact on Svalbard. The tolerance limit for the marine recipients receiving wastwater and other pollutants are not known. The ongoing Svalbard projects (Climarest/Pharmamarine/PharmArctic) and other international projects and local initatives are aimed at increasing the knowledge basis and innovating mitigation solutions towards impacts outlined above. Hence, a venue to share knowledge and experiences from these projects to create synergies, development of best practices, and to lift the topic up to a pan-Arctic perspective is needed.