What defines a good life in the Arctic

Young has watched the Arctic move through moments of extraordinary optimism and periods of profound difficulty. He has seen expectations for Arctic cooperation rise and fall.

His advice is not to be carried away by either.

After more than 40 years of thinking about Arctic governance, he argues for something less dramatic but potentially more enduring.

"We need to keep looking for opportunities to do useful and constructive things, and not mistake either a moment of success or a period of crisis for the final chapter. It's a long game of dealing with issues of continued importance, where circumpolar cooperation is essential," he says.

As the Arctic Council marks 30 years of cooperation, Young's key takeaway from the Human Development Report remains true - understanding the Arctic means going beyond pre-defined criteria and notions developed outside the region.

He emphasizes the importance of not getting caught up in the securitized discourse that has become prominent in these times but instead speaking truthfully about the realities of what's going on in the Arctic. In this regard he points to the continued existence of international cooperation across a range of issues. The Arctic Council's Working Groups remain active, while arrangements concerning fisheries, shipping and scientific cooperation continue despite the current challenges.

"Of course, we currently experience challenges such as impediments to the free flow of people and data across national boundaries arising from the diplomatic rupture we're experiencing. But there are opportunities for constructive dialogue moving forward, and we have to think in terms of the long game, for the benefit of the people who live their everyday lives in the Arctic," Young notes.