Forty Years of Arctic Legal Leadership: NIEM Marks Milestone with Anniversary Seminar!

 

PC: Sampo Sanaksenaho and Marlene Payva

On September 18, 2025, the Northern Institute for Environmental and Minority Law (NIEM) at the Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, celebrated its 40th anniversary with a seminar that blended reflection with vision. The event, “Environmental and Minority Law in the Arctic: Problems and Processes,” brought together researchers, PhD candidates, and legal experts to honor four decades of scholarship while looking ahead to the legal challenges of a rapidly changing Arctic.

Founded in 1985, NIEM has long stood at the crossroads of environmental law, minority rights, and Arctic governance. Over the years, it has evolved into a hub for groundbreaking research, serving as host to the University of the Arctic’s Thematic Network on Arctic Law and the Chair in Arctic Legal Research and Education.

The half-day seminar opened in the Arctic Centre Library with welcoming remarks from Arctic Centre Director Johanna Ikävalko. NIEM’s current Director, Professor Kamrul Hossain, then set the tone with an opening address tracing the institute’s journey—from its establishment under Professor Terttu Utriainen, to its integration into the Arctic Centre under Professor Frank Horn, to the shift toward Indigenous rights and Arctic environmental governance led by Professors Lauri Hannikainen and Timo Koivurova. Since assuming leadership in 2014, Hossain has guided NIEM into new territory, advancing research on human rights, human security, and geopolitics in the North. “NIEM’s history,” he reflected, “is one of steady growth, grounded in respect for human rights, Indigenous knowledge, and environmental stewardship.”

The seminar’s first session, dedicated to Indigenous law, underscored that foundation. Dr. Anne-Maria Magga, Senior Researcher at SuMu, shared insights into Sámi laws and principles, offering a reminder that Indigenous traditions remain vital to modern governance. Her talk, enriched by commentary from Dr. Leena Hansen, sparked a thoughtful exchange on how these traditions can inform legal frameworks across the Arctic.

The focus then shifted to environmental law. Guiding the session, Professor Hossain invited experts to address urgent questions: Are current regulations strong enough to handle the rapid changes in the Arctic? Professor Timo Koivurova examined regulatory gaps, while researcher Krittika Singh cautioned about the potential risks of seabed mining. In turn, Medy Dervovic explained new legal developments shaping Arctic Ocean governance, emphasizing their global effects. Ending the session, Marlene Payva highlighted how climate change is profoundly transforming the human–nature relationship, calling for bold innovation in international environmental law.

Throughout the day, participants engaged in dialogue that was both celebratory and forward-looking. The anniversary was not only a chance to honor NIEM’s legacy of research, teaching, and collaboration, but also to consider its evolving role in shaping legal responses to climate change, resource pressures, and the defense of Indigenous rights.

As Professor Hossain noted, NIEM’s work has always been about more than law: it is about bridging scholarship with the lived realities of Arctic communities. Forty years on, the institute remains committed to that mission—looking to the following decades with the same pioneering spirit that has defined its past.

- Kamrul Hossain