On 12 May 2026, MountResilience partners gathered for the second round of Inter-regional Cross-Pollination (ICP) sessions, focusing on climate adaptation practices across mountain and remote regions. This session was focused on Lapland demo, who shared experiences, challenges, and lessons learned from their work with municipalities, tourism companies, and Sámi reindeer herding communities in Northern Finland.
The session highlighted how climate adaptation in remote Arctic regions goes far beyond technical planning. Building trust, fostering long-term relationships, and creating meaningful participation are essential for successful adaptation processes.
Climate Adaptation in Remote Arctic Communities
Lapland presented several project activities currently being developed within MountResilience, including regional adaptation plans for municipalities, coaching models for tourism companies and reindeer herders, and participatory tools to better understand local climate impacts.
Among the methods used were:
- Public Participation Geographic Information Systems (PPGIS) surveys
- Citizen workshops and climate risk analysis
- Climate adaptation games for youth, such as bingo and quizzes
- Face-to-face meetings with tourism companies and local stakeholders
- Snow and ice measurements
- Scenario-building and backcasting exercises
The session demonstrated how local knowledge and everyday experiences can help shape practical adaptation strategies tailored to Arctic conditions.
Challenges of Participation in Remote Areas
The discussions also highlighted the realities of working in sparsely populated regions such as Utsjoki and Enontekiö, where long travel distances, limited public transport, and varying telecommunications make participation more difficult.
Climate scepticism and the perception of climate adaptation as an abstract topic remain important challenges. In addition, project fatigue and the lack of existing adaptation planning models for sectors such as tourism add further complexity.
Despite these barriers, the Lapland team has already organised 13 workshops with nearly 100 participants, engaging local communities through workshops, surveys, social media, village Facebook groups, and local newspapers.
From Participation to Trust
A key focus of the session was the collaboration with Sámi reindeer herding communities in Enontekiö. Partners reflected on what meaningful participation truly means in practice and how adaptation planning must be built on trust, continuity, and everyday interaction.
For Sámi communities, reindeer herding is not only a livelihood but also a cultural way of life deeply connected to seasonal cycles, weather conditions, grazing lands, and environmental knowledge passed down through generations.
The session emphasised that participation alone does not automatically lead to meaningful engagement. Instead, trust develops gradually through repeated interaction, local familiarity, and long-term relationships.
- As highlighted during the discussions:
- Meaningful participation grows through continuity and everyday interaction
- Informal exchanges and local relationships matter in remote contexts
- Trust is essential for understanding local realities and existing adaptation practices
Learning Together Across Regions
The ICP sessions continue to provide valuable opportunities for MountResilience regions to exchange experiences and reflect on different approaches to climate adaptation.
The Lapland case demonstrated that while technical tools and climate data are important, successful adaptation also depends on people, relationships, and the ability to create spaces where communities feel heard, involved, and trusted.
