ISO Sustainability Indicators for the Arctic Context

Keywords: Sustainability, Urban, Indicators, Arctic, Structural Equation Modeling
Abstract Type: Paper Abstract

Abstract

Arctic cities are currently centers of rapid environmental, social, and economic change. These cities operate as regional islands for economic growth, cultural development, and political decision making in the otherwise sparsely populated Arctic. However, these urban areas are also underpinned by resource dependent economies, boom and bust cycles, environmental vulnerabilities, and a legacy of colonialism. Currently, urban sustainability discourse and development policies, including the Arctic, are led by institutions including the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) through indicator sets such as the ISO 37120. As part of a larger NSF-funded project titled, “Measuring Urban Sustainability in Transition,” or MUST, this presentation evaluates 20 years of data related to ISO standards for Luleå, Sweden, Yellowknife, Canada, and Fairbanks, Alaska. Initial results from Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) are discussed to identify key variables characterizing successful municipal sustainability initiatives. The case studies discussed highlight the diversity of sustainability contexts and strategies in the Arctic. These three cities are influenced by different environments, cultures, and governance structures while also sharing dependencies on resource extraction, remoteness, and clash of Arctic identities. Conclusions from this work offer insights to be shared amongst the Luleå, Yellowknife, and Fairbanks policy makers (city mayors, sustainability commissioners, and Indigenous representatives) participating in the MUST project advisory board. This work attempts to offer a simplified set of ISO indices most relevant to the Arctic context.