Recommendations

Type	#	Outcome	Report	Year
Key finding		Credible knowledge of all kinds, and from all sources, is welcomed and needed in the Arctic. This includes science, traditional knowledge and co-produced knowledge as well as knowledge from academia, business, government, civil society and communities.	Arctic Biodiversity Congress 2014, Co-Chairs Report	2014
Advice		Expand both the marine and terrestrial protected areas network and monitor its effectiveness at safeguarding biodiversity.	Arctic Biodiversity Congress 2014, Co-Chairs Report	2014
Key finding	3	Observations from those spending much time on the land and sea are necessary in not only understanding local environmental change but also in understanding the effects of environmental changes on human well-being and traditional practices	Project Summary: Bering Sea Sub-Network II	2015
Key finding		Biodiversity policy in the Arctic has to reflect the needs of people living in the Arctic, many of whom are indigenous.	Arctic Biodiversity Congress 2014, Co-Chairs Report	2014
Advice		Include biodiversity as a fundamental component of Environmental Impact Assessment, StrategicEnvironmental Assessment and risk assessment in the Arctic.	Arctic Biodiversity Congress 2014, Co-Chairs Report	2014
Key finding	5	Environmental changes are generally, but not always, resulting in negative effects to traditional harvests with impacts to food and cultural security	Project Summary: Bering Sea Sub-Network II	2015
Key finding		Biodiversity policy in the Arctic has to reflect the needs of people living in the Arctic, many of whom are indigenous.	Arctic Biodiversity Congress 2014, Co-Chairs Report	2014
Key finding		Biodiversity underpins sustainable development in the Arctic, including economic, social, cultural, and environmental dimensions. Although there is widespread understanding of the importance of economic development for the well-being of Arctic peoples, there is less understanding of the importance of biodiversity for human well-being, including livelihoods, food security and ecosystem services. Economic development in the Arctic should proceed within the constraints of ensuring the long term sustainability of biodiversity and the ecosystem services it provides.	Arctic Biodiversity Congress 2014, Co-Chairs Report	2014
Advice		Mainstream biodiversity; build partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders to seek innovative solutions and expand the responsibility for taking care of biodiversity.	Arctic Biodiversity Congress 2014, Co-Chairs Report	2014
Key finding	7	Community observations from local and traditional experts have much untapped potential as ‘early warning systems’	Project Summary: Bering Sea Sub-Network II	2015
Advice		Develop realistic scenarios to help predict what could happen, given different policy options, in the short term (10 to 15 years) and the long term (over 50 years).	Arctic Biodiversity Congress 2014, Co-Chairs Report	2014
Key finding		Conservation of Arctic biodiversity is a global issue, as so much that happens outside the Arctic affects what happens inside the Arctic and vice versa. Migratory species provide a good basis to develop the partnerships necessary to ensure the long term viability of shared species, and at the same time to increase awareness of the shared global heritage that Arctic biodiversity represents.	Arctic Biodiversity Congress 2014, Co-Chairs Report	2014
Advice		Develop tools for data sharing so that data collected can be used by a wide range of people engaged in Arctic biodiversity science, policy and management.	Arctic Biodiversity Congress 2014, Co-Chairs Report	2014
Key finding	2	Research efforts relevant to indigenous communities should establish partnerships with them and contribute to building their capacity, for example by hiring local residents, and providing training and equipment	Project Summary: Bering Sea Sub-Network II	2015
Key finding		There is a wide gap between what we know and how we act. Although research to fill gaps in knowledge is still needed, there is enough knowledge about what needs to be done to act now. A companion to this message is the urgent need to shorten the time it takes for scientific understanding to be translated into policy in the Arctic.	Arctic Biodiversity Congress 2014, Co-Chairs Report	2014
Advice		Implement Ecosystem Based Management in marine, terrestrial, freshwater and coastal ecosystems.	Arctic Biodiversity Congress 2014, Co-Chairs Report	2014
Key finding	4	Different environmental changes are occurring within different cultural contexts creating diverse impacts; as such adaptive actions need to be based on local realities and priorities	Project Summary: Bering Sea Sub-Network II	2015
Key finding		Conservation of biodiversity and of the ecosystem services it provides requires a long-term perspective and sustained actions at many different temporal and spatial scales.	Arctic Biodiversity Congress 2014, Co-Chairs Report	2014
Advice		Include biodiversity in national accounting so that the true value of healthy Arctic ecosystems is understood, and the true costs of biodiversity loss are accounted for.	Arctic Biodiversity Congress 2014, Co-Chairs Report	2014
Key finding	6	Regulations that impact communities ought to be flexible to allow for adaptation to change and ought to include meaningful local voice through instruments such as co-management to support the food security and sovereignty of indigenous communities	Project Summary: Bering Sea Sub-Network II	2015