Please join us at CSIS for a conversation with Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Audun Halvorsen on Norway’s Arctic security strategy. For Arctic littoral states such as Norway, changing dynamics in the Arctic as a result of climate change and increased commercial activity will bring new challenges in the future. Deputy Foreign Minister Halvorsen will offer his perspectives on the effects of a shifting geopolitical climate on the Arctic and the implications for Norwegian foreign and security policy, for NATO efforts to enhance deterrence and defense in the High North and North Atlantic, and for Arctic governance.  Mr. Halvorsen previously served as a Political Advisor to the Minister of Defense and a Political Advisor to the Conservative Party Parliamentary Group. This event is made possible through general support to CSIS.  

Please join us for an in-depth conversation with Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support on the Senate Armed Services Committee, to discuss the recent release of the June 2019 Department of Defense Arctic Strategy. Is the United States appropriately resourced and positioned for Russia’s increased military presence in the Arctic as well as a growing Chinese economic and scientific presence? Or has the United States accepted that it will be limited in its future options to access the Arctic, in an era when U.S. forces and readiness are stretched and future defense budgets are uncertain? Current U.S. strategies suggest that the Arctic region does not make the geopolitical cut for the U.S., despite compelling arguments to the contrary. If correct, what are the long-term implications for U.S. national security? What hard budget and capability choices must be made for the U.S. to remain a relevant security actor in the Arctic?

Please join us on Wednesday, May 16 for a conversation with H.E. Gudlaugur Thór Thórdarson, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland. Iceland sits at a critical geostrategic position for both NATO and the transatlantic community: an entry point the North Atlantic and adjacent to the Arctic Circle. With NATO's recent commitment to create an Atlantic Command and as the alliance prepares for its July Summit in Brussels and upcoming Trident Juncture exercise in Norway, Iceland will play a key role in maintaining a secure North Atlantic. Minister Thórdarson will also speak to Iceland's priorities as the next Chair of the Arctic Council, as well as China's growing economic influence in the North. This event is made possible by generous support from the Stuart Family Foundation.

Please join us for a rich half-day discussion on the geostrategic and geo-economic future of the Arctic. In a moderated “exit interview,” the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, Admiral Paul F. Zukunft, will discuss his active public advocacy for and interagency pursuit of securing greater U.S. capabilities and readiness for a rapidly changing Arctic, as well as offer some thoughts on the overall trajectory of the Coast Guard’s future mission in the polar regions. Subsequent panels will closely examine Russia’s future economic and security ambitions in the Arctic as well as address the key drivers of future economic growth and the forces that are shaping these new economic dynamics. Agenda 8:15 a.m. - Registration and Coffee 8:45 a.m. - Keynote Address: The Exit Interview Admiral Paul F. Zukunft, Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard 9:15 a.m. - Panel I: The Arctic Superpower: Factors Shaping Russia's Arctic Policy Dr. Marlene Laruelle, Research Professor of International Affairs, Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University Dr. Julie Wilhelmsen, Senior Research Fellow, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI) Dr. Pavel K. Baev, Research Professor, the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) Moderated by: Ms. Heather A. Conley, Senior Vice President for Europe, Eurasia, and the Arctic; Director, Stuart Center, CSIS 10:30 a.m. - Coffee Break 10:45 a.m. - Panel II: The Polar Silk Road, the Blue Economy, and Other Arctic Drivers Dr. Jakub M. Godzimirski, Research Professor, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI) Dr. Anne-Marie Brady, Professor, University of Canterbury (via VTC) Mr. Tero Vauraste, President and CEO, Arctia Ltd.; Chair, Arctic Economic Council Ms. Kristina Wolston, Vice President, External Relations, Quintillion Moderated by: Ms. Heather A. Conley, Senior Vice President for Europe, Eurasia, and the Arctic; Director, Stuart Center, CSIS 12:00 p.m. -  Event Concludes This conversation is made possible by support from The Research Council of Norway.

Please join us on Wednesday, February 7 for a timely conversation with Mr. Timo Soini, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland. As Finland's chairmanship of the Arctic Council approaches the one year mark, Minister Soini will provide an update on Finland's priorities, including environmental protection, strengthening connectivity, meteorological cooperation, and education. A critical partner of the United States in the High North, Finland continues to explore the Arctic's economic potential and advocate for the region's sustainable development, while also assuring the protection of the climate and ecosystems. Minister Soini will also discuss the increasing engagement of non-Arctic states in Arctic cooperation. This conversation is made possible by support from the Stuart Family Foundation.

The shared U.S.-Russian maritime border and the narrow Bering Strait will very likely see an increase in economic activity as nations and the private sector explore natural resource development, develop shipping routes and vessel traffic lanes, and pursue fishing stocks in the Arctic. A new CSIS report, Maritime Futures: The Arctic and The Bering Strait Region, describes the impact of the increased connection of distant economies through Arctic maritime routes and the urgent need to enhance protection of U.S. Arctic coastline and territorial waters. We are delighted to welcome Rear Admiral Michael F. McAllister, Commander of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Seventeenth District, who will discuss current Coast Guard efforts and initiatives in the Bering Strait region to better manage this maritime future, with a focus on enhancing maritime domain awareness and search and rescue capabilities and cooperation, as well as vessel traffic management with Russia. This event is made possible by support from the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

A geoeconomic contest is underway to shape Asia’s future. Regional powers are putting forward ambitious plans for building roads, railways, pipelines, and other hard infrastructure - changes that have the potential to dramatically alter the flow of goods, people, and ideas within and between countries. Please join Reconnecting Asia, a CSIS initiative that maps Asia's new linkages - roads, railways, and other infrastructure - for a discussion with CSIS's leading regional experts on how these developments could re-shape the future of the super-continent. Featuring a panel discussion with: Jon B. Alterman Senior Vice President, Zbigniew Brzezinski Chair in Global Security and Geostrategy, and Director, Middle East Program Bulent Aliriza Director and Senior Associate, Turkey Project  Heather A. Conley  Senior Vice President for Europe, Eurasia, and the Arctic; and Director, Europe Program Michael J. Green  Senior Vice President for Asia and Japan Chair  Christopher K. Johnson  Senior Adviser and Freeman Chair in China Studies Olga Oliker Senior Adviser and Director, Russia and Eurasia Program Richard M. Rossow Senior Adviser and Wadhwani Chair in U.S.-India Policy Studies Amy Searight  Senior Adviser and Director, Southeast Asia Program Moderated by: Matthew P. Goodman William E. Simon Chair in Political Economy and Senior Adviser for Asian Economics  

Please join CSIS and the United States Naval Institute (USNI) for a Maritime Security Dialogue event featuring  Admiral Paul F. Zukunft, Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, for a discussion on the U.S. Coast Guard's future priorities.   This series is made possible with support from Lockheed Martin and Huntington Ingalls Industries.

The CSIS Energy and National Security Program is pleased to host the launch of Bloomberg New Energy Finance's (BNEF) New Energy Outlook 2017. The report is BNEF's annual economic forecast for the world's power mix to 2040. Built over nine months, it is the result of a major collaboration of more than 65 market and technical experts from BNEF's 11 offices around the world. Seb Henbest (NEO Lead Author and Head of Europe, Middle East, & Africa; BNEF) and Elena Giannakopoulou (Lead Energy Economist; BNEF) will present on the NEO 2017 findings, followed by Q&A and discussion. This year, NEO 2017 highlights the long-term ramifications of competitive offshore wind and what cheaper batteries mean for the uptake of electric vehicles, consumer photovoltaic systems, and managing peak demand, among other stories. Click here to read this year's edition, NEO 2017. Please RSVP no later than Tuesday, June 20th. This event is made possible by general funding to CSIS and the Energy & National Security Program.

Please join us for a conversation on Arctic Transformation: Understanding Arctic Research and the Vital Role of Science, co-organized by the Senate Arctic Caucus and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Featuring opening remarks by Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) And Senator Angus King (I-ME) With a keynote address by Dr. John Holdren Chair, Arctic Executive Steering Committee, Director of Office of Science and Technology, The White House   AGENDA 8:00 am: Registration and Light Breakfast 8:30 am: Welcome Remarks by Ms. Heather A. Conley Senior Vice President for Europe, Eurasia and the Arctic, CSIS 8:35 am: Opening Remarks by Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) And Senator Angus King (I-ME) 9:00am: Session I: Improving Understanding of Arctic Environmental Change and Impact Featuring Dr. Larry Hinzman Vice Chancellor for Research, University of Alaska Fairbanks Mr. Richard Glenn Executive VP, Lands & Natural Resources, Arctic Slope Regional Cooperation Mr. George Roe Research Professor, Alaska Center for Energy and Power, University of Alaska Fairbanks Dr. Paul Mayewski Director and Distinguished Professor, Climate Change Institute, University of Maine Introduced by Dr. Martin Jeffries Program Officer and Science Advisor, Office of Arctic and Global Prediction, Office of Naval Research 10:30 am: Session II: Keynote Address: Highlights and New Initiatives from President Obama's Visit to the American Arctic Featuring Dr. John Holdren Chair, Arctic Executive Steering Committee, Director of Office of Science and Technology, The White House 11:00 am: Session III: Arctic Science Gap Analysis: Enhancing U.S. and International Science and Research Collaboration Featuring Dr. Kelly K. Falkner Director, Division of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation Dr. John Farrell Executive Director, U.S. Arctic Research Commission Dr. Catherine Cahill Deputy Director, Alaska Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Moderated by Ms. Heather A. Conley Senior Vice President for Europe, Eurasia and the Arctic, CSIS 12:00 pm: Conference Concludes   Following President Obama's historic visit to the American Arctic, please join us for a timely conference on the vital role of science which seeks to better understand the profound and stunning changes that are occurring in the Arctic. Scientific research and collaboration informs our understanding on the impact of climate change on the most northern latitudes while also informing approaches to safely operating in and sustainably developing the economic potential of the region. Our keynote speakers will discuss the vital role of science leadership in the Arctic and will examine the most pressing gaps in our understanding of this dynamic region.