Non-Economic Losses to Climate-Induced Events for Communities in the Arctic

Description

As climate change intensifies, Arctic communities face profound disruptions not only to their physical environment but also to their cultural, social, and emotional landscapes. These disruptions—often referred to as non-economic losses—include the loss of cultural heritage, traditional knowledge, identity, sense of place, and social cohesion. Despite their significance, such losses remain underrepresented in research, climate impact assessments, and policy frameworks.
This session invites scholars, practitioners, and knowledge holders to explore and share methodological approaches for investigating non-economic losses resulting from climate-induced events in Arctic regions. The session is anchored in the LostToClimate research project (www.losttoclimate.org), which seeks to advance understanding of how communities experience and articulate these intangible losses, and how such experiences can be meaningfully integrated into climate adaptation and loss and damage discourses.
We welcome abstracts that address, but are not limited to, the following themes:
- Methodological innovations for identifying and documenting non-economic losses, including participatory, ethnographic, narrative, and arts-based approaches.
- Interdisciplinary frameworks that bridge climate science, anthropology, Indigenous studies, and policy analysis.
- Case studies from Arctic communities that illustrate lived experiences of loss and resilience.
- Ethical considerations in researching and representing non-economic losses, especially in Indigenous contexts.
- Policy relevance: How can insights into non-economic losses inform climate justice, adaptation planning, and international negotiations under the UNFCCC?
We particularly encourage submissions that center on traditional and Indigenous perspectives and knowledge systems, and that critically engage with the challenges of translating deeply personal and collective experiences into formats that are legible to stakeholders, policymakers, and researchers.
The session aims to foster dialogue across disciplines and geographies, and to establish a community of practice centered on the recognition and integration of non-economic losses in climate research and action. Contributors will have the opportunity to connect with the LostToClimate network and explore possibilities for future collaboration.
Please submit an abstract outlining your methodological approach, case study, or theoretical contribution, and its relevance to the session theme. We welcome contributions from early-career researchers, community-based scholars, and practitioners.

Period	25 Jun 2026
Event title	Nordic Geographers Meeting: Restless geographies
Event type	Conference
Conference number	11
Location	Reykjavík, IcelandShow on map
Degree of Recognition	International