The session was organized by Santosh Kumar Rauniyar of the Ocean Policy Research Institute/Sasakawa Peace Foundation (OPRI-SPF) and Kamrul Hossain, the UArctic Chair of Legal Research and Education at the Arctic Centre of the University of Lapland.
The biennial conference examined various aspects of Arctic security, including human, environmental, climate, and traditional state security. The Interpolar Dialogue panel brought together prominent researchers and experts to discuss shared environmental security challenges in the Arctic and Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) regions. As both regions face mounting climate change impacts, particularly cryosphere loss and growing water insecurity, the session served as a vital platform for scientific dialogue and transregional collaboration.
Moderated by Santosh Rauniyar, the panel featured Kamrul Hossain from the Northern Institute for Environmental and Minority Law (NIEM); Medy Dervovic from the Arctic Centre and Reykjavik University; and Marco Volpe, a Ph.D. candidate at the Arctic Centre. Co-organized by the University of Lapland Arctic Centre, the session aimed to bridge the geographic and disciplinary divides between the North and High Mountain Asia regions. The session underscored the urgent need for cohesive governance strategies, adaptive frameworks, and informed policy responses.