Main research question:
Which Arctic regions and which types of businesses will benefit the most from suggested infrastructure development, and what would be the impact of connecting sparsely populated area in the Arctic with global value chains?
The focus of this theme is to investigate the relationship between reliable logistics and transport systems and its effects on regional social-economic development in the High North. Research activities include the analysis of connections between transportation and logistics needs and business development and value-creation; and how to connect these regions with global value chains, which will create a demand for physical flows of goods and services. How can river transport along the Russian Rivers and better railway connections promote industrial development and unlock the resource and industrial potential of Siberia? The research will also look at how indigenous and other populations living along the Arctic Coast have created resilient societies with a long history of sustainable food production and other local products. How can these populations get their high value products to the market and increase their share in the overall value chain, connect to innovation initiatives and new Arctic transportation routes. Research will develop knowledge to support evidence-based policy in relation to infrastructure development in the High North and connecting the research results with users of this knowledge (e.g., regional authorities, national authorities).
