2014 Workshop on Integrated Policy Options for the Bering Strait Region
October 20 – 24, 2014 | Santa Barbara, CA
Organized by: Arctic Options
Arctic Options Participants: Entire Arctic Options team
Objectives: Bounded by the United States and Russian Federation – 82 km wide at its narrowest point – the Bering Strait has emerged as a choke point of human interests and activities as well as ecosystem dynamics associated with the Arctic Ocean. Increasing impacts from energy, shipping, fisheries, and other industries along with the environmental state-changes associated with the diminishing sea ice all are concentrated in the Bering Strait Region. Local, national and international policies apply to the Bering Strait. But are they sufficient to address the concerns of adjacent communities, neighboring states, and the international community in the years to come? The goal of the Bering Strait Workshop was to identify emerging issues and to contribute to informed decision-making about these issues to facilitate sustainable development in the Bering Strait Region. The workshop participants worked with:
- Newly prepared knowledge banks of regulations, reports and prior scenario planning efforts to make these important texts easily accessible and fully searchable
- New multi-layered coastal and marine geospatial data maps which include both the natural and social sciences
- A wide diversity of stakeholder perspectives regarding emerging issues, trends, risks and opportunities in the Bering Strait
Bering Strait Workshop Overview, Paul Berkman