Stammler says that the war has moved into a more permanent state and that the sanctions must be reviewed to get a more nuanced perspective on Arctic research collaboration.
– Many of us thought that we were just putting everything on hold, that the war would soon be over and that we could therefore continue where we left off. That has changed, Stammler elaborates.
– The war has become a permanent state and we do not see the end of it anytime soon. We are forced to develop more long-term perspectives on how Arctic research should position itself in this new reality.
Preserve existing research and data
Another topic that the researchers will address during the congress is how to preserve research that has already been carried out in the Russian Arctic. Stammler explains that researchers may have to go back to data they have collected previously and look at what they can do with what they already have.
– We may have to go back to previous data and see what can be used there. Much field work has led to research results that have not yet been published. It is a very valuable resource, intellectually speaking, and it has become even more valuable after the war.
– We must look at what we can do to preserve research data that was collected during the last thirty years when there was much greater freedom to research, and when the Russian Arctic was well integrated into international Arctic research, says Stammler.
Where is the way forward for Arctic research from your perspective?
– It is probably wise to rethink how strict we should be in blocking research collaboration with Russia. We cannot pretend that the Arctic is everything but Russia, the researcher replies.
– Circumpolar Arctic research is crucial for our planet.
Encourages a more nuanced understanding
Stammler says that the decision to block cooperation with Russia was understandable, but that it is now time for a more nuanced understanding of Arctic research cooperation.
– Many continue to work with Russian contacts, data and evidence. They do so in a way that does not support the regime in Moscow and they can still access contacts and data to produce credible research results.
The researcher points out that many colleagues who work for Russian state-funded institutions also support the opposition, openly or quietly, but that the sanctions all fall under the same umbrella.
– To say that everyone who works for institutions funded by the Russian state, such as a state university, supports the regime does not do these people any justice.
